Divided By Blood
by SeverNSkull
Summary: For over a thousand years, the two greatest clans on the continent have feuded in a never-ending cycle of war and betrayal. Kakashi Hatake, and Rin Nohara are stuck in the middle of it all and it all changes with a chance meeting with their sworn enemy. The three must band together to save what they know. That is if they manage to survive. (Full summary inside)
1. Prologue

_Thousands of years ago, after the birth of magic, a feud was incited bringing with it a never-ending cycle of war and bloodshed. Kakashi Hatake, a highly revered soldier to the Senju Empire and his closest friend and subordinate, Rin Nohara find their way trapped in the middle of a conspiracy and things that should have never come back into the light all by chance. All brought on by a man fallen from grace._

 _The three must band together to overcome the troubles of both war and the prospect of betrayal in their uneasy alliance to bring the cycle to an end. The only question is will they survive or will their differences lead to the death and destruction of everything they know and everyone they love?_

 **Currently also available on AO3. I edited what I could so please point out errors or typos to help improve the story's quality!** **Thanks for reading**!

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Kakashi Hatake had always been an intelligent child. He grew up regarded as a genius by his people and his father, Sakumo, the chief of the pack could do nothing but look upon him proudly. The two trained together and hunted together and the man taught him how to thrive in both the wild and in combat, but there was one fault that the boy had. He couldn't make friends.

Kakashi had frowned upon the childish games the other cubs played, watching them knock stones around with sticks and chase each other in their wolf forms. It didn't seem very appealing to him when he could be training or reading a book, but that was until he met _that boy_.

The pack was mainly composed of wolf-shifters, all Hatakes, who traveled from land to land together avoiding the many wars and battles that plagued the surrounding countries. Kakashi's father, however, was a very kind and gentle man who allowed anyone looking to flee the constant bloodshed to travel with them and become a part of the clan. It took some getting used to for the people that came but some of them stayed and that was when the wolf-shifter met him.

His father had called him over one day to introduce him to a father and son who were fleeing from the war. The boy was about his age with raven-black hair and equally dark, onyx eyes. He'd hoped for Kakashi to befriend him and for the pair to become close, but the young wolf-shifter couldn't care less at the childish, loud youth and turned his nose up at any attempts to play with him or bond. However, it didn't seem to stop the boy.

Every day, he'd follow Kakashi around, telling him stories about things he or his own dad had done and ooh-ing and ah-ing over the magic that he could use. The boy was utterly hopeless and more than a little annoying, so Kakashi confronted him.

"Why won't you stop following me, idiot? I don't even like you," he said coldly, bluntly in the other four-year old's face, making him wince. The wolf-shifter studied his expression for a while, watching as the boy teared up as his harsh words.

The boy swallowed back his tears and sniffled, wiping his face on the sleeve of his tunic. "It's 'cause, I thought we could be friends. You never play with the other pups, and they don't want to play with me, so I thought we could play together," he explained, his voice trembling and small.

"That's because-," Kakashi hesitated and thought for a moment. Should he tell the boy to leave? His presence was reassuring and he liked the attention he got when the boy gaped in awe at his much more advanced magic. He was right though. The other pups had long since given up on their endeavors to befriend him and even though they had quit, this kid was still persistent. It made some sense though. The boy wasn't a pup at all; he was a human, through and through. Some of the other Hatake in the pack held discontent for other beings, unlike his father.

Kakashi sighed and rubbed at his temples. " _Fine._ I'll play with you," he grumbled and the boy instantly perked up, his smile evident and his dark eyes glistened with pleased tears. Before Kakashi could say any more, the boy had wrapped his arms around him and was hugging him tightly, making the irritable wolf-shifter's cheeks a soft shade of pink.

"Thank you! Thank you! It'll be great! You'll see, Kakashi!" he beamed, letting the wolf-shifter go as the other boy made a show of dusting off his clothes.

"Whatever. What's your name," he asked the boy.

He looked confused, frowning in thought. "What? I thought I told you already?"

"I have a selective memory," the wolf-shifter said with a shrug. It wasn't a complete lie, he just hadn't care much to remember it and use space in his memory for something so trivial.

"Oh! It's O-," he faltered and looked at his feet, kicking at the prairie grass, ripping up a small clump with his bare feet. "It's Tobi. My name is just Tobi."

Kakashi raised a silver eyebrow but didn't question it. His family were probably in hiding from the war between the Senju and the Uchiha, which explained the lack of a surname. The wolf-shifter smiled softly behind his mask and nodded to his new friend. "Good to meet you, _Tobi_."

Almost two years later, Kakashi and Tobi, the wolf and the boy were best friends. Wherever Kakashi went, the loud-mouthed, cheerful boy was sure to follow and wherever the boy went, the quiet, silver-haired wolf was close behind. They were closer than litter mates even though their styles and tastes differed greatly. Sakumo even teased his son about his best friend, making him pout and scoff, but Tobi didn't seem to mind, even when his own father teased him.

Tobi's father was calm and friendly, just like Kakashi's own, but if you looked into his eyes long enough, you could the tiredness and fear constantly lurking behind them. He looked like an older version of Tobi, but with an uppercut and a face hardened with years of age and stress. He was a deal younger than Sakumo and told the most magnificent stories about the gods and the legends of old. Tobi seemed to hang onto his every word and Kakashi, despite not being the most sociable of children, couldn't deny that the man was a fantastic storyteller.

One night, he told them the story of the two brothers: Indra Otsutsuki and Ashura Otsutsuki.

 _Long ago, when the age of men was still young and new, there was a great sorcerer who filled the land with magic. He had spent his entire lifetime looking after the realm of men and in his old age, he decided he'd pass on his mantle to one of his two sons._

 _Indra, was the oldest of the two. He was strong, fast, and clever; the perfect candidate to wield his father's magic and look after the people of the realm. Then, there was the younger brother, Ashura. Ashura was in no way like his brother. Where Indra was all precision and wits, Ashura was clumsy and naive. Unlike Indra, who was naturally talented and clever, Ashura worked hard for everything that he had until he was finally able to stand beside his brother in power. But there was one other thing that set the brothers apart._

 _Indra, being skilled and intelligent did not rely on his bonds and therefore had never connected with his follows and subordinates, whereas Ashura did. Since the younger brother had to work to get where he was, he understood the challenges his subordinates and followers faced, befriending them and amassing many more people than his elder brother, despite his lack of power or strength._

 _Finally, it came time for the old man to choose his successor. He asked them each what they had accomplished in their travels. Indra told his father of stopping natural disasters and fighting threats to the realm, just as his father had. Ashura, stood ashamed, knowing he could compare to his brother in his feats. He told him of raising villages and walking amongst the people, raising them up with hope and healing them from their sorrows. Then the old man asked his sons about the bonds they had created, but this time, it was Indra who had been ashamed. In all his travels, he had not once thought to connect with the people who followed him. This prompted the old man to scold his eldest son for his powers were to be used to protect and save the people, not for showing your own power to the people. Fear was no way to rule over the realm. And so, he chose the youngest as his successor._

 _Neither of them had been taught such a lesson and both brothers felt it was unfair. Unbeknownst to his brother, Ashura looked up to Indra and tried reasoning with him, explaining that both he and Indra shared a bond as brothers and that given a second chance to prove his worth, his brother would learn and form bonds with those that followed him. But the old man wouldn't hear of it._

 _Indra grew angry and felt betrayed by his brother. Then upon the light of the full moon, he led his followers into battle against his brother. The battle lasted nine days and nine nights, spreading carnage and bloodshed across the land, until the youngest brother was the last one standing. His brother, Indra, was in his death throes but still had enough strength to lay a curse upon his brother and kin:_

" _Hear me now, dear brother, as I speak my last words_ ," he cried, " _for all that carry that tainted blood of yours shall meet their end at the hands of my kin. And for whensoever our blood shall meet, between a son of mine and a daughter of yours, their child shall create death and chaos at the cost of everything precious to the people of this world. They will be the child of prophecy and will cast the ultimate betrayal on both yours and mine and once they do, this world will truly be at peace. A peace beyond the gods and beyond the influence of men."_

 _Then he was gone, but the feud between their kin has continued since, for the fear of such death and destruction akin to that of a god has still lingered in the minds of their kin; the Uchiha - the sons and daughters of the elder brother, Indra - and the Senju - the sons and daughters of Ashura. And their battle has continued ever since._

"Tou-san, do you think they'll ever stop?" Tobi asked careful, gulping back his nervousness and making the silver-haired boy beside him scoff at his question.

Tobi's father hummed thoughtfully before leaning forward and ruffling the unruly black hair. "Maybe one day they will? Who knows?" he answered good-naturedly.

"I doubt it," Kakashi added realistically. "They've been at it for generations. There's hardly an excuse for them to stop now." He shrugged and was met with a frustrated pout from his dark-haired companion. "What?"

"Hey, people can change, Bakakashi!" the boy shot back.

"Language," his father reprimanded, frowning at the boy who slumped his shoulders and made a soft apology.

"Well, the point is," Tobi continued, "one day, they'll find peace, just like in the story."

"Did we just listen to the same story? People are too motivated by their fear of fairy tales and myths to fix anything between them. They'd much rather fight until the end of time or until they're all dead," Kakashi deadpanned, looking his companion in the eye. They shared a furious glare between them until Tobi's father cut in once more.

"Kind of a dark outlook there, don't you think," he asked the young wolf-shifter.

"Not dark; just realistic."

"Well, you never know. Have a little hope in people and maybe one day, maybe when you're old and grown, the world will know peace," he smiled tiredly and looked between the two of them, making the wolf-shifter roll his eyes and the raven stick his pink tongue out at the other boy, earning him a derisive huff.

That night, the boys fell asleep snuggled together in true pack fashion, curled up against one another, blissfully unaware of what their future held for them, for the future would soon awaken them from their slumber and thrust them into the harsh reality of their world.


	2. Pursuing the Uchiha

Kakashi's ears rung as the battle raged. Undying orange flames scorched both the battlefield and many of his men, flames that could only be cast by the upper tier of the Uchiha royal family. The silver-furred wolf had never seen such magic before, only the destruction and corpses left behind. There had to be an Uchiha in the middle of his ranks. He snagged a sword-wielding man running towards him with his fangs, ripping through flesh and bone, blood staining his pelt. He shook his massive head and threw the screaming man to the ground, disarming him, before quickly going in for the kill. Chaos continued to thrive all around him.

"Captain," a dark-haired man said, his second-in-command, Yamato Tenzo. "We're suffering heavy losses in the left flank! A masked Uchiha is cutting through the middle of our ranks."

"I see that, Tenzo," the wolf stated, as he watched the black smoke billowing into the air about 2 kilometers away within the sparsely burning forest. Even from the clearing, it seemed monstrous as deadly flames lapped at the sky.

Flustered he asked, "What do we do, sir?"

"Have the men hold their positions and bring water-casters to the front to suppress the fire. I'll be heading to the front to take on the Uchiha," he answered in response.

"Yes, sir," the other man agreed, taking a shallow, respectful bow.

"And Tenzo?"

"Yes, sir?"

The enormous wolf scratched behind his ear with a bored look, leaving a short, tense silence. "Try not to let any more hostiles through. We don't want to surprise Lady Uzumaki with a siege if any more get through," he hummed.

The younger man paled for a moment and shook his head vehemently. "O-Of course not, Captain! I'll make sure the formation holds them back, sir!" If Kakashi could grin in this form he would. He enjoyed teasing and occasionally scaring his comrade.

The wolf chuckled and took off towards the commotion, racing through the undergrowth, the smell of smoke and charred flesh burning nose and sticking to the back of his throat. He could hear the shouting of both infantry and sorcerers as they tried to hold their positions against their more than formidable enemy. The Uchiha wore a pallid orange mask with black stripes swirling around the two crimson eyes that shone through it. The man was flanked by his own warriors and battle-casters as he slashed through Kakashi's men. Even with the mask, Kakashi couldn't ever recall seeing him before. He knew what nearly every Uchiha royal had looked like, but this man, his armor was not nearly similar to the onyx that many of the young Uchiha wore nor was it the navy and royal blue of their leader, Lord Fugaku and Kakashi fairly was certain with this person's medium-build and muscular body that it was certainly not their reigning queen, Lady Mikoto. Come to think of it, every Uchiha he had known were much too proud to wear masks, so who was this man?

The wolf locked eyes with the Uchiha and the man dispatched the warrior in front of him with a quick stab of his blade to their side, angled up into the man's heart. The warrior fell dead upon the ground and Kakashi snarled at purple-clad Uchiha.

The masked man's men paused behind him, awaiting a command until he gestured towards the wolf with his blade. His voice was a low growl, "Kill him." Four men began to approach the wolf, one had a sword as long as Kakashi was tall, one had a mace covered in dripping, red spikes, another had a dagger in each hand and many more holstered to his thigh, and and the last began readying a spell, their chanting an echo in the background as small flames licked at their fingertips. They all wore a matching black armor-set with an emblem of a cloud on the left shoulder padding. His champions then, Kakashi presumed. Every Uchiha had one, but not four and he had never seen any with this emblem before.

The swordsman ran towards Kakashi and swung his sword right as Kakashi deftly skipped away, keeping light on his paws. The blade smashed into the ground with a loud thunk as it hit a tree root, slicing them easily. Immediately after Kakashi had to dodge to the left, away from the tree as two knives sunk into the bark beside him, making a sharp _whoosh_ as it flew past an ear. That had been a close call. Not a moment later, a spiked ball whizzed towards him in an arc, attached to a chain. The wolf couldn't move in time and took the brunt of the hit, yelping in pain as it pierced his hide. The spiked head drew back the owner who hooted in victory, "Hell yeah, take that, you furred freak" the albino screamed as his teammate with the sword made to take a final swing. The man approached the wolf and grinned, posing to make an executioner's blow when Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Where the hell, did he go," the albino snapped as he searched the blazing trees with his eyes.

"Beats me," the giant swordsman answered, raising up his sword and getting ready to strike once more.

The masked man huffed in annoyance at his underlings. "Deidara," he signaled. The caster nodded and finished his spell and which used the pre-existing fire to create a wall of flame, blocking off the wolf from leaving the area. "That'll keep him from running, boss," the long-haired, blond teen affirmed. The masked man nodded in approval to the preening caster.

In a violet flash, Kakashi reappeared from behind the group, now having taken the form of a man with a glowing blade, laced with jolts of purple lightning that ran up and down the sword like it was alive and hungry for battle. He swiftly slashed at the masked man who managed to take a step back as the gigantic swordsman blocked the blade with his own, grinning with malice, his lips curling back to reveal rows of shark-like teeth. _Another shifter._ Kakashi scooted backward, putting his blade back up in a defensive position. "I haven't fought another shifter in a while," the shark-like swordsman mused, and I haven't killed a wolf in a long time. I figured you were all extinct." One of the other knights chuckled, the albino with the extended mace.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and tried not to let the taunt get to him, although he wasn't sure he'd be able to hold his own over the masked man's knights. He determined they were all battle-casters of some kind. The wolf shifter took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He could at least hold these guys off until the other flank managed to close in on the Uchiha forces.

"Master," the red-headed knife-wielder addressed the masked man, "he looks like The White Fang." He gripped the knife in his hand a little tighter.

"Does he, Sasori" the Uchiha queried.

"Yes," Sasori nodded, "but I know the man is dead. It's unmistakable with his blade and 'other' form that this must be his son."

"Really?! I see," the Uchiha said, sounding amazed with this new revelation. "I've always wondered if I'd ever see one again, but to meet such a celebrity, - or at least his son - I could almost die of happiness! But I'm afraid that you'll be doing the dying today, Son of the White Fang."

Kakashi pouted. He hated whenever someone compared him to his father, oftentimes he wondered if he'd even make it out of his father's shadow. He made the lightning from his blade surround him in its aura, preparing to for the fight to once again commence.

"Hidan, Kisame, do it," the masked Uchiha ordered. The two leaped into action. Kakashi began dodging and blocking as he could, both the albino and the swordsman swinging at him with their weapons. They were both quick on their feet, especially the albino, Hidan, who seemed out for his blood as he hooted and hollered with manic glee without any sense of coordination, whereas the shark-like swordsman, Kisame, seemed keen to just toy with him as though he was a bored cat and Kakashi was an exceptionally entertaining dormouse. Kakashi had to stay on the defensive, sparks flying as steel hit steel in a dance to the death. The wolf-shifter managed to get an opening as he blocked a heavy blow from Hidan, immediately sending jolts of electricity through his weapon, making the man scream as smoke rose from his forearms as they began to burn and the smell of cooked human flesh began to rise from him. The man was thrown back by the force of the jolt after several long moments and ended up hitting himself with his mace, piercing his own throat. That was one down.

Kisame laughed heartily as the albino continued to twitch behind him, blood pouring from the dead man's throat. "Looks like you got the jump on Hidan, heh! He'll be pissed when he gets back up," the swordsman smirked.

 _When he gets up? This guy's got to be kidding me. The guy has to be dead or at least dying._

"I ain't ever seen someone put him down like that," the swordsman continued. "It might take him a while to get up."

" _Kisame_ ," the Uchiha scolded, beginning to get annoyed with his underling.

"Sorry, boss," the shark-shifter shrugged and glanced back to Kakashi. "I guess I'll have to kill you now. It's been fun though," he grinned and swung his sword, just missing the wolf-shifter's arm. Kakashi hopped away again as Kisame charged toward him, swinging the sword past his head. A few silver hairs flitted down to the ground as he swung again. Kakashi used his magic to give himself a quick boost and leaped onto his sword and then over his head, swinging with his own sword. Kisame blocked just in time, the force pushing Kakashi back.

"This is taking too long," Sasori muttered and several daggers careening past Kakashi once more, one sliced through his armor, but fortunately the cut wasn't deep enough to yield skin. The wolf immediately noticed the beaded strings attached to the daggers, creating a web avoid him. The blond champion, Deidara smirked and cast a spell, sending a wave of small explosive charges off. Thinking quickly Kakashi released his lightning aura, push the strings away and escaping through the top of the webbing just in time. Kisame followed him and met him back down on the ground and the two engaged again in a dance of blades.

Something beneath the ground began to click and stir as the caster began reciting another spell sending off more charges, right beneath Kakashi and the champion's comrade. Kakashi quickly switched off with a chunk of wood that had blown off of one of the trees with Sasori's and Deidara's last attack. "Haha! Art is an explosion," the blond cheered.

"Deidara, be careful. We don't want to kill Kisame," Sasori asserted, his fingertips glowing with his own spell as strings attached to Kisame to move him out of the blast radius. "Tch, I'm just trying to get rid of him, my man," Deidara assured.

"Thanks, Sasori," Kisame said approvingly. "I'd prefer not to become one of Deidara's latest exhibits either, heh."

Deidara, in turn, huffed in indignation and began scowling. "It was an accident! Geez! I'm just trying to kill the guy just like the two of you, so don't diss my art, hm," he shouted at the other two, clenching his fists.

Kakashi realized that there may just be a way to defeat them. These guys didn't seem to like working together. If Kakashi could pit them against each other, he just might win, although the Uchiha was still a wildcard.

"I'm pretty sure you missed," Kisame pointed out. Gesturing towards the crater left by Deidara's explosions.

"Cut me some slack! I'm trying! At least I'm not dumb and clumsy like Hidan, hm," he bit out in response.

"No, that's only sometimes," Sasori remarked.

"Shut up, guys! You just don't appreciate my art," Deidara shouted, his face was bright red in both embarrassment and rage. Kisame bellowed with laughter and slapped his knee hard as he doubled over, his blade planted in the ground beside him. Sasori just continued to look unamused. "I hate you guys," the blond stated. "I-I'll blow you up! I'm serious!"

Okay, maybe Kakashi _didn't_ have to do anything. These guys might just tear themselves apart.

"Aw, Dei, we're just joking with ya. Don't get so hot-headed, kiddo," Kisame explained. Then he sniffed to get rid of the last of his laughter.

"I wasn't joking," Sasori deadpanned. At this point, the blond was quite literally quaking with rage.

"All of you, _shut up_. I don't want to hear it and you're humiliating me _on the battlefield_ ," the Uchiha reprimanded them. "Now get after that Hatake. Slice him up, burn him, blast him, stab him, poison him - I hardly _care_ , but I want you to _kill him_ and kill him _now_!" The Uchiha sounded akin to a child throwing a tantrum, or an adult chiding their three children for fighting.

The three all affirmed their master's orders and without a moment's pause, Kakashi was fighting for his life once more between throwing knives, strings, explosions, flames, chunks of debris, and a giant shark-man with an enormous sword. He was losing mana fast and knew he wouldn't be able to keep up for much longer. He needed backup and fast, but where were his men? At least with him here stalling, they could regroup with the other forces heading in from the right and center. If he knew anything about his commander, he had probably already met up with Tenzo and learned where Kakashi was. He probably already on his way here, since the man had such a soft spot for him.

In his musings, Kakashi was knocked off-balance by an explosion close to his right foot. The shockwave sent him flying and his leg began to hurt and throb. He cried out and just barely managed to block another knife with his sword. His leg hurt like hell and with a small glance down at his leg, he saw a piece of wood going all the way through his ankle. Damn. He couldn't run away like this even with the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Kisame came at him, flaring his nostrils, slashing at the wolf-shifter, his sword slashed through the young tree as Kakashi ducked and switched himself with Hidan's body as it flopped on the ground.

"Now you definitely can't hide from me, heh," Kisame pointed out, sniffing the air again.

Kakashi held his ankle and watched the champions in the distance as they began to triangulate back on his position. He felt somewhat faint like he was about to tumble over when a sword slid against his throat. The wolf-shifter froze.

"Now, you're mine, Hatake," the low voice of the Uchiha told him. He tilted Kakashi's head up, ever so slightly with the blade so he could look him in the eyes, ever so slightly drawing a bit of blood. The wolf pushed away his weakness and stared defiantly. He heard once as a small boy that if you looked straight into the eyes of the Uchiha, that you would see the death of everything good in the world, but that didn't seem to be so. When he looked into the man's eyes he saw amusement, riling up Kakashi's fight or flight response once more. How could someone not care about the killing of another? How could someone find amusement in another's pain or in death? All these guys, they were crazy.

He used the last of his magic to switch with a charred corpse close to the wall of flame and tried stumbling to his feet. The four of them just stared on, observing him. "You're all insane," Kakashi breathed as he got back to his feet and help his sword once more. Two of the champions, Deidara and Kisame looked to each other, the latter shrugging, while Sasori just shook his head in admonishment. The Uchiha meanwhile kept staring on at him as though puzzled.

"I wonder if you realize you can't win? It's true that we may lose this battle, but you will not beat us. You have already lost, so why fight it," the Uchiha asked.

"Because," Kakashi croaked, taking a deep, resolute breath, "it's my sworn duty to the Senju family and Lady Kushina Uzumaki to protect this realm and all that inhabit it. If that means sacrificing my life so that others may live and that the innocent remain safe, then I will, just as my father did."

The Uchiha mulled over that for a moment and hummed. A pregnant pause proceeded and the clearing was filled with a loaded silence. He tapped his mask where his chin would be. "Is that right, Hatake-san," he asked, doubtfully.

"Yes," Kakashi maintained, without hesitation.

"I see that that's what you believe, Hatake-san," the Uchiha teased, "but did you know that every battle since the undoing of your clan has been the result of a decision your father made? The bloodiest of battles - all of them since the age of the betrayal of my ancestor Madara - has been your father's fault."

Kakashi glowered at him. "You're a liar. My father was a great man. He was a hero of our realm."

"Oh give me a break," the Uchiha snapped, raising his hands into the air. He pointed at the wolf-shifter with his sword. "Your old man tried to promote peace through the death of the Uchiha. Peace shouldn't be achieved through war and murder, it should be achieved through the goodwill of men." He paced in a circle for a moment, uncaring of the charred corpse beneath his feet, further fueling Kakashi's misgivings towards him. The Uchiha turned back to him, pointing his sword at his once more, the tail of his purple caster's armor began fluttering in the strange wind through the forest. The fires all around began to roar and pick up strength. He raised his voice and spoke once more, "Do you want to know why your entire clan is dead? Do you?! It's because of your father! He was a murderer and now, I'm going to kill you like he killed _my parents_ , slowly and without mercy." The Uchiha was at the point of snarling and raced towards the Hatake, sword raised as he made a battle cry.

Their swords clashing and a rain of sparks poured on the ground. Over and over again their swords clashed until the Uchiha kicked him hard in the stomach, sending Kakashi flying through the wall of flame. Unable to recover, he hit a burning tree. He cried out as he registered the pain in his side and back.

The Uchiha flew out of the flames behind him and immediately tried to slash at Kakashi. The wolf dodged, but the Uchiha elbowed him in the face. The wolf felt a few teeth loosen from the impact and he hit the ground hard, his sword falling out of his hands and landing a few feet away. The wolf couldn't help but curl in on himself to try and protect his vitals.

The Uchiha crouched down beside him and began whispering to the broken Hatake. "I'm going to beat you to a pulp, Hatake," the Uchiha confided, "and when I'm done with that, I'm going to slice you up piece by piece, _very slowly_. I won't stop until you're begging for mercy, and when you are, I'll make sure to heal you up just enough so I can do it all over again. Doesn't that sound fun, Hatake? I think it does." The Uchiha stood back up and kicked him, aiming for his stomach. Kakashi tried to clamp down on himself to keep from making a noise. The Uchiha kicked him again, harder, forcing him onto his back, but despite that, Kakashi didn't make a peep. He stepped down hard on Kakashi's ankle, where the wood was pierced through. " _I said 'doesn't' 'that' 'sound' 'fun'_ ," he snarled, punctuating every word with more pressure on the wound. Kakashi was shaking with the need to cry out in a primal scream. He was certain he was going to die here. His commander would never make it on time, but at least he'd die with honor just like his father.

Without warning a heavy gust of wind passed over him and the Uchiha was launched into by a man in a white caster's cloak. " _Sensei_ ," Kakashi murmured before closing his eyes. His commander made it and came for him. Everything hurt and all the fight had finally seeped out of the wolf. He could finally die, assured that the Senju had won the battle.

Everything went to black.


	3. The Yellow Flash

**This story wasn't edited by a beta (just me and a couple of grammar checkers) so please point out any mistakes and review the work to incentivize it. Your comments make my day!**

 **This work is also available on AO3**.

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Minato wasn't sure how much time he had left after hearing what he had been reported. A messenger had told him that Kakashi was up against an unknown Uchiha that had been taking out the left flank right as he arrived in the encampment. He was worried about the captain. Although Kakashi was a capable soldier, spellcaster, and military leader, he couldn't help but worry about him as he worried about his own son. He remembered fondly how he had looked out for Kakashi ever since he was taken in by and pledged his allegiance to the Senju regime. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to the young man, hell, his _wife_ would never forgive him.

"Kakashi went off on his own," he guessed, directing his question to his student's second-in-command.

Tenzo was at a loss for a moment. "Uh, y-yes, sir. He wanted water-casters to be brought to the front but most of the men in the area have already retreated. We didn't get any intel on the situation since and none of the men on the frontlines had gotten a good look at the Uchiha leading the attack. The Captain said he wanted to hold him there until we could regroup," he explained hastily.

Minato sighed. "That kid's going to get killed one day," he muttered to himself.

"Sir?" Tenzo wasn't sure if the higher ranking officer said anything of importance.

"Ah, nothing, Tenzo. Just… talking to myself," Minato confessed, rubbing his temples. He had just managed to push back the Uchiha's infantry to the center of the forest where they had retreated once encountering the fire. What good was scorched, dead land to anyone anyways? It had taken a couple of hours, but at least they wouldn't have to worry about them for a while.

"Ah, sir, if it helps, he had a familiar send us intel on the situation," Tenzo added, trying to reassure him.

"What did he report, Tenzo," he inquired gruffly.

Tenzo swallowed. "The Uchiha is an unknown masked man with purple caster's armor. He seems to have four champions at first glance, a swordsman, a mace-wielder, a knife-thrower, and a fire caster. He didn't recognize any of the champions," the young officer noted, "but that's all we've heard. Pakkun just got back here a few moments ago, sir. We haven't been able to do anything yet, but we were planning on sending armored casting units down to assess the situation and push them back."

Minato was stumped. Maybe they retreated by now, but then again, why would an Uchiha act alone with only a handful of champions? "Is there any other report of hostile units in the area, either from Captain Kakashi or any of the other officers," Minato asked.

"No, sir. Just the five men that the Captain said were there. No one else," Tenzo answered nervously.

"You're kidding me," he blurted out, unable to keep his annoyance or worries to himself any longer.

Yamato was taken aback by his unexpected shout and shook his head, "No, sir, Lord Namikaze! That's everything we know. What are your orders, sir?"

"Have all available fire-casters and at least two platoons of pikemen follow me back towards the last known location. In addition, I'll need a small handful of healers to take care of any survivors that are trapped in the fire," he ordered.

"Yes, sir! Right away," Tenzo said with conviction and quickly ran off to gather the troops for the military leader.

In his stead, an older man with dark hair and bark-colored, wrinkled skin strode up to him. "Namikaze-dono, how goes the battle? I hear you've pushed back the savages, is that right," the man asked in a casual tone, searching his face for answers. It was Danzo. He was part of the war council, but Minato never expected to see him on the battlefield. He still hadn't found it in him to trust the old man, but he had been a part of the war council since the time of Hashirama Senju, Lady Uzumaki's great-grandfather. He was a highly influential individual, and regardless of what Minato thought of him, he had to keep a steady footing with him regardless of what he felt. The very fact that the man was here sent uneasy shivers up his spine.

"Yes, we've managed to push the hostile forces out, although we're still dealing with a few renegade battle-casters that seem to have been separated from the main Uchiha force," the military leader stated briefly.

"Hmm, is that so," the old man asked. "I suppose you're preparing to launch a counterstrike against them," he mused.

"Yes, sir. There are men trapped by the fire that are still in combat with the renegade forces," Minato confirmed. "We're heading to back them up."

After a moment's hesitation, "Then I wish you the best of luck, Namikaze-san. I hope you are able to lead a successful attack once again." He spoke with relative ease, but didn't sound sincere in the least before inclining his head respectfully and making his way back to his litter, manned by porters.

A moment later, Yamato came back. "Sir, I've rallied the troops you requested. Anything else I can do, sir?"

"Thank you, Tenzo, but no. Just keep the fire at bay and focus the water-casters on keeping the perimeter damp so the fire doesn't spread any further," he answered. The lower-ranking officer inclined his head respectfully to him right before Minato began to trek through the forest with the allied troops.

* * *

Trees creaked and groaned as fire licked up their sides and at their bases and the brush and undergrowth were ablaze in an all-consuming inferno that wound its way around everything the eye could see like a famished beast. The smoke burned Minato's eyes and nose as he and his troops pushed forth. He had ordered the fire-casters that he brought with him to use their magic to control the flames and keep the path clear so they could keep an eye out for any stranded soldiers, or Kakashi. After several minutes of jogging through the forest, the entire area shook and several nearby trees shuddered, raining burning branches down on the unsuspecting troops before anyone could react.

"What the hell was that," a young fire-caster, Anko Mitarashi, yelped in surprise.

"It was an explosion," Minato said bluntly. "We must proceed with caution," he warned his troops. "Is anyone injured?" The healer, an older man with a seemingly permanent frown, was keen to look over the others to make sure no one had gotten injured in the shockwave. Explosions were unpredictable. They could take losses at a moment's notice if there were any other blasts. Minato tried his best to hide his anxiety. There was no doubt that it came from the same area the young wolf-shifter was in. "Everyone seems fine. No moderate or major injuries, Namikaze-dono," the healer reported.

Minato nodded in affirmation. Time to set-up the field. "Listen up, team," he announced, "I'll two of our fire-casters and a healer to follow me to the epicenter. We'll be back-burning the flames to keep it from spreading further and try to contain the hostiles in a smaller area. If there's any survivors caught within, our healer will check them out and carry them to safety. We'll also use our other fire-caster to keep a path free for any injured that need to find their way out of the blaze. Platoons Alpha and Beta, you'll form a semicircle at the entrance to deter any escaping hostiles from leaving the area. Does everyone understand the plan?" Everyone seemed to have committed it to memory. Minato had figured it would be more than enough to keep the Uchiha and their champions at bay. Although they were masters in fire magic, you would have to have a bottomless pit of stamina to evade the inferno that would ensue. True, the fire would eventually burn out, but not before Minato would instate his rescue operation.

The troops got into position and Minato headed out with the fire-casters and the healer towards the battlezone. The fire-casters began to work their magic to set the brush and trees on fire, a clear path mystically remaining immune thanks to Anko's reluctant charm. (She would have much preferred to follow Minato to combat the Uchiha.)

They sped through the trees, light on their toes, startling when a barrage of explosions began to go off, so louder than the rest. Minato stopped for a moment and heard a yell that sounded like Kakashi's. "Get the rest of the forest lit. I'll be right back," Minato commanded calmly.

"But Namikaze-dono-," the healer pleaded.

"I'll be gone for a moment. I have to be somewhere," and in a flash of brilliant light, he was racing towards the sound. He knew he was in the right area as he spotted dozens of slain men and women lying motionless and bloody on the ground. Some looked as though they were trying to escape to carnage and destruction to no avail. The wind around him picked up, raising the flames around him as he practically flew across the ground.

He spotted his charge. The young wolf-shifter was being tormented by the masked Uchiha as the man stomped on Kakashi's bloody ankle. Minato's crystalline blue eyes glinted as though they'd become as cold as ice. Magic of the same shade and intensity glowed on his fingertips until there was a wrathful sphere of wind in his palm. In a blink of an eye, he was slamming into the Uchiha with the orb of magic, shredding the side of the enemy's armor and sending him flying backwards. The man recovered, landing on his feet, and glared at Minato, his less than righteous intent palpable.

"Namikaze," the Uchiha hissed, unforgiving crimson eyes burning holes in the leader's skull.

Minato broke their gaze and took a moment to assess the wolf-shifter as he lay motionless. He was broken and bloody, his right arm lay almost bonelessly across his chest, his face was covered in small cuts, as was his throat, the armor padding on his legs and arms were scorched and blackened, and lastly, there was a chunk of wooden debris jutting through the young man's ankle. His heart ached at what the kid must have gone through.

He flicked his wrist and a Raijin kunai slid into his palm easily. "Uchiha," he called in response. "It seems you've done a number on my Captain."

The Uchiha said nothing, continuing to stare into the depths of the other man.

"I was going to offer you the chance to retreat," Minato remarked, "but this, I cannot easily forgive." The wind immediately picked up, whipping around the three of them, the wall of flame roaring with renewed strength and began to pick up rather than staying in one place, spreading until it surrounded them in a vortex of flame.

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes and readied his blade in preparation for Minato's attack. Minato made a move and disappeared from sight, reappearing in the air before the Uchiha, slashing at his head, his kunai meeting the resistance of a cold steel blade. He disappeared again, reappearing behind the Uchiha, swiping at him with a wide kick. His swing was dodged and he disappeared again. The masked man was alert, looking around for a clue as to Minato's next attack.

Kunai began soaring towards the Uchiha from every direction. There seemed to be dozens in volley after volley. They clashed against his sword as he easily deflected them. Bright orange magic glowed on his fingertips and he made to cast flames out in all directions, but nothing happened. The fire in his palm died before it could grasp its first breath as the vortex continued to rage around them. "Damn you," the masked man hissed, readying his blade once more, expecting Minato to strike from the air in any direction. More kunai flew towards him that he deflected easily, but right when he wasn't expecting it, fell from directly above and pummeled him to the ground with another sphere strike. The man gasped as his breath was stolen from him and he was forced into a crater. Minato had trapped him like a rat, already having removed the Hatake from the area before the barrage even began.

Minato took a step back and watched as the man attempted to move from the crater, gasping for breath as the air was sucked from the area. The Uchiha reached for his sword in front of him. "I-It's not… fair," he choked out, his eyes began to drift closed as he blacked out, unable to breathe. The blond man called his crystalline blue magic to his fingertips once more, this time, it flowed like water in his palms, trickling down the sides. "No… _Don't… touch_ ," the Uchiha breathed as Minato pressed his palm to the center of Uchiha's back. For a moment there glowed a line of glyphs until it vanished beneath the man's armor. Ethereal chains wrapped around the man's body, sealing his magic right as he fell unconscious. Minato maneuvered him over his shoulder. He was heavier than he was used to, but he managed and sped off.

After a few minutes, he reappeared and the vortex slowly died down the blaze going with it. He scanned the area and saw nothing but destruction and corpses. The champions had abandoned their master. That was fine. Minato had other things to attend to and in a flash, he was gone.


	4. In Strolls The Survivor

Unbeta'd, but I believe it's been edited pretty well. I wanted to update every Saturday, but I got impatient, so here's a new one and the next chapter will be arriving next weekend!

 **Please review to help incentivize the work. Your comments make my day!**

* * *

"What the are we going to do now," the preteen asked as the four champions were making their way back to base. Deidara was unable to contain his anxiety for very long and had become apprehensive about the whole business.

"There's nothing we can do," Sasori, the red-haired man answered flatly, walking past him and taking the lead of the group. He had a schedule to keep after all and rarely liked to involve himself in anything when he was in a hurry, conversations included.

"What do you mean, _dana_ ," the blond prodded further, puzzled by the answer he had just received. He wasn't very surprised at Sasori's reaction, but he was still confused. As soon as they heard the boss get attacked, Sasori ordered them to retreat and abandon their master.

"He's the boss, kid," Kisame began to explain. The giant paused a moment to readjust the unconscious albino under his thick arm. "He wanted this to happen and there's not much we can do but follow orders now."

"But, what about him! Won't he be okay surrounded by those…," he paused for a moment to come up with a word, "-those heartless foxes?" He was astonished at the apathetic manner that the others were handling the capture of their boss, an _Uchiha_. He looked up at the man, his deep blue eyes pleading of answers.

"Yeah, kid. He's tough." Kisame grinned, at the boy as he walked beside him, revealing his pointed, inhuman teeth. "Heh, he can make it back on his own. He can pull it off. The boss has handled similar odds before. This is nothin'." The shark-shifter then ruffled the preteen's hair affectionately, chuckling warmly.

Deidara yelped. "Don't touch the hair, hn," he snapped indignantly, slapping at the enormous giant's hand. "I had it just the way I liked it!" He pouted, running fingers through his hair to gather it up again and comb it out, taking a step away from the man.

"He'll be alright, Dei," the giant said with what sounded to be sincerity. "Even Sasori's sure of it. Hidan too," he said gesturing with a tilt of his head to the babbling Jashinist under his arm, mumbling things of less than pure origin. "I guess the shock did a number on him though," he deadpanned.

Deidara nodded, holding his hair tie in his mouth and switching it to his hand to tie it back as he walked. "I've never seen him like that before. Are you sure he's not dead or is he just lazy," Deidara teased, proud with himself for saying something antagonizing first for once. He smirked at his own cleverness.

Kisame's chest rumbled with laughter but once he a moment to catch his breath he hummed thoughtfully. "Nah, kid. He's definitely not dead. I think the electricity just messed with his brain a little." Then with a glint of mischief in his beady, shark-like eyes whispered, "Want to hear something funny?"

"What is it, Kisame-dana," the preteen asked quietly, skeptical as to what it might be.

"He was drooling earlier with his eyes open like he was a real zombie," he gossiped. "I bet Kakuzu would have paid at least ten gold to see that, don't you think?"

Deidara tried to contain him and snorted holding a hand over his mouth before howling with mirthful laughter his blue eyes filling with tears from its power. His whole body was taken over by it, so much so that he doubled over and had to stop walking to catch his breath.

Sasori whipped around and scowled. "Deidara, quit stalling. We have a mission to report back to base and you're wasting our time," he snarled at the boy, sobering him up immediately. The boy ran to catch up to where the group was. "Tch, sorry. I forgot you didn't have a sense of humor," the boy bit back, wiping the tears from his eyes. The redhead squinted his eyes at Deidara with disdain and replied snarkily, "I have a sense of humor, but like your _art_ , that joke was in poor taste and wasn't funny."

Deidara huffed and crossed his arms haughtily. "And _your_ 'art' is? Your sense of humor is just as dry and smelly as the corpses you use for yours!"

Sasori's attention was fully focused on the blond. "Do you have a problem with my art, little brat?"

"Yeah, I do! It's stinky and old, just like you," the boy snipped critically.

A large wooden figure began to build itself up behind the redhead - an enormous scorpion stinger. "You sure have a lot to criticize when no one will remember you. You're young and your explosive, impulsive behavior will end you at a young age, just like all before you that have ever held your magic. I have no doubt in my mind that you won't live to be my age despite your incessant boasting about your _art_. The fact that you're here instead of back with your kind should be testament enough to that fact," Sasori jeered, his words dripping with acid that burned Deidara to his very core and left him speechless. "Now get back in line and do not question your orders again. You're here only to serve, not to feel or crack useless jokes!"

That was the first time Sasori had ever yelled at him. Deidara did as he was told but his eyes and throat burned from what the redhead said. He held his head dejectedly, his blond bangs covering more of his face than usual.

The shark-shifter sped up to walk alongside the redhead. "Hey, Sasori, wasn't that a little harsh" Kisame queried lowly, frowning at him.

"Why would it be," he replied in a flat tone. "I didn't tell him anything he didn't already know."

Kisame slowed down to fall back in-step with the preteen, saying nothing more. Deidara knew Kisame could only do or say so much, but Sasori was right, whether he liked it or not. It wasn't something he hadn't heard before. In fact, he had heard it countless times, but from Sasori it cut to the quick. Sometimes he forgot that the redhead was over twice his age even though he appeared to be little more than a child like him. Same as Hidan, but he wouldn't have let that jerk get to him. Nonetheless, the trek back was charged with a veil of silence.

* * *

Minato entered the throne room informally, a broad smile stretched across his face. He was glad to be home, despite what had happened on the battlefield a couple of days ago. But there was nothing that would keep him from relishing the thought of seeing his gorgeous, fiery wife again and his adorable, lovable son.

The palace was magnificent to say the least. High beams of gorgeous natural wood climbed to the ceiling and intricate murals of foxes, castles, and warriors painted the walls, each telling a story about the many emperors and empresses that have come before and their feats. The floors were a glowing white stone, polished to a high sheen and shiny enough to see your own reflection in. On a golden dais, in the most extravagant of silk kimonos with jewels and decorations in her flaming red hair was Lady Kushina Uzumaki, the current empress of the Senju Dynasty.

Lady Kushina wasn't a direct descendant of Hashirama Senju or his kin, but she was of Asura's blood, which made her Senju. She had become the empress when Princess Tsunade retired and was unable to bear children to take up the mantle. She was the last living descendant of Hashirama himself, but after her lover had passed away she never found it in her to find love again despite constant prompting from the council and others. Kushina was brought to the palace after Princess Tsunade's only niece by blood had died in childbirth, who at the time, had been the last person of Senju blood that could have produced an heir.

At the time of her coronation, the people despised her and threatened her for being an outsider to the crown, however, all that changed when Kushina had shown her subjects that she was compatible with the sacred fox and a more than competent leader as well as warrior. She had shown that she was both fearsome and intelligent, and more than showed that she was not to be trifled with. In fact, it was seeing her fight both for her throne and on the battlefield that Minato had truly realized he had fallen in love with not only her looks and demeanor but her ferocity and will of fire. He could only imagine two things more beautiful than the love of his life: their children together and spending the rest of his life with her as both her husband and a loyal servant at her side.

The yellow-haired officer proceeded to the dais and bowed respectfully to his wife. The empress huffed half-heartedly and shook her head. "Minato, you're my husband now, you know? You don't have to bow every time you approach me," she pointed out.

Minato straightened him once more and beamed at her. "It's only respectful to bow to my Lady," he cheerfully explained. Kushina returned his bright smile with one of her own. Minato couldn't believe he'd been so lucky as to fall in love with someone so extraordinary.

"Carry on, then," she teased him basking in his attention and making him chuckle.

"I brought news from the battlefield. We were able to push the Uchiha back once again, but the eastern forest bordering Uchiha land by Koi Village has been scorched and any crops in the area have been damaged," the red-haired empress' glee melted away and she began to look troubled at the news but nodded through it, signaling Minato to carry on. "We were, however, able to capture a political prisoner. He was a rogue Uchiha, acting alone with a handful of champions."

Lady Kushina raised a brow in amusement and seemed to be mulling it over in deep thought, focused on a mural to her left depicting 'The Betrayal of Hashirama and Madara'. This wasn't usual for her, but then again, it wasn't very usual news.

After a loaded silence, she held her hand out for him and he gently grasped it to assist her with coming down the dais. Once she was beside him, she whispered to her husband, "Then we'll have to discuss it later." The walls had ears after all. They walked together past the guards lining the throne room, side-by-side.

Minato figured she'd notice pretty soon that Kakashi wasn't there, but continued to ask casually as though nothing was wrong. It wouldn't last long, but for now it was just him and Kushina.

" _Minato_ ," she sang. Minato tensed up for less than a moment before regaining his cool once more. Kushina was much too sharp for him at times.

"Where's Kakashi-chan," she inquired.

Minato's face went stony for a moment as he recalled finding Kakashi broken and beaten in the with the infernal forest with the masked Uchiha standing over him. He could still feel the anger he had felt then and the heat licking at his feet trying to ensnare him into a scorching end. Guilt gnawed at him for letting his former student be so thoroughly beaten by the enemy. He knew he would have told her anyways but he might as well tell her now. "Kakashi sustained a few injuries during the battle. He's currently in recovery," he reported vaguely.

"On his first mission as Captain too," Kushina murmured wistfully.

"I didn't think anything like this wo-," Minato started remorsefully before he was cut off.

"When that kid heals, I'm gonna _kill him_ ," the red-headed empress stated hotly with determination.

"Now, now, honey. You can't just beat him up for getting hurt," Minato appealed trying to effectively convince her to calm down.

"No, but I can sure let him know not to do it again!" Her hair seemed to buzz with untamed magical energy, giving it an orange glow, but it was kept mostly in place by her various barrettes, ribbons, and pins keeping her sunset-colored hair from flowing in a bestial halo that reflected the vulpine energy stored within her.

"Ah, Kushina, let's take a minute to calm down," the man pointed out, finally convincing his irked wife. "I haven't gotten to see Naruto since I've gotten back either."

"Fine, fine. Then _later_ , he'll wish he was back at the healers for making me worry over him so much," she amended and like that her hair and aura had calmed and she looked bright and happy again. "I can't wait to show you what Naruto has been up to, dear! He's missed you so much," she chirped happily and together they walked through the palace halls, their small entourage of guards behind them, whilst they talked about their young son and how much they missed while they were apart.

Minato once again felt like the luckiest man alive to have fallen in love with such a woman, no, to have fallen in love with Kushina.

* * *

Before he had even opened his eyes he had realized that everything hurt and he'd be far better off going back to sleep. Too bad he hurt too much to go to sleep and he wasn't injured or hurt enough to pass out.

"Oh good! You're finally awake. That's a start," a soft voice chimed followed by a soft, feminine chuckle.

"Am I dead," he groaned quietly, slowly opening his eyes and wincing as he adjusted to the light filtering in through the windows. His room was in the back of the palace so it had to be late in the afternoon.

"No, but you tried," the so-far disembodied voice replied, much too cheerily for his taste. It might just give him a headache.

"How long have I been out," he asked, moving to sit up. If he moved around a little, he could probably walk off the pain. He wouldn't get anything done if he continued to stay in bed.

"Hey," a hand shot out and gently pressed him back down. That's when it hit him the hardest - the intense _pain_. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Kakashi, but no getting up, healer's orders. Some of your bones are still settling back in from being put back together and your arm was completely shattered! _Shattered_ , Kakashi! And I don't even need to tell you about your ankle." He shrugged as much as he could in response.

"So how long until I can get moving again, Rin," the wolf-shifter asked, seemingly disinterested in the fact he had - up until a few moments ago - been a comatose ragdoll.

"Unbelievable," the young healer exclaimed. "You almost _died_. You need to take a break for a while and I don't mean ' _break'_ _another bone_." She pouted at him, crossing her arms over her chest as she sat on the cushion beside his futon.

Kakashi shrugged once again without uttering a word. He'd just wait for Rin to leave, although he didn't think he'd be that lucky, especially with his laundry list of ailments that he acquired from his last battle.

Ever since he'd first met Rin she seemed to be attached to him. Sometimes, she just wouldn't leave him alone. He could recall a time when they were children whenever he'd get hurt, Rin would want to make sure he was okay and baby him whenever she could. It wasn't something that had ever happened often, but it still annoyed him and it continued to annoy him to this very day. Some people said he'd end up married or betrothed to her one day, but he would rather not think about it. Being attached to a clingy woman would be more trouble than it was worth.

"Then how long do you expect me to lay here," he asked snarkily.

Rin wasn't amused and pulled his blankets back up to the wolf-shifter's chin. "Until you're healed at the very least. Honestly, Kakashi," she said frustratedly, "we've been over this before and this is the worst I've seen you. Give your ankle time to heal." She stood up and brushed her hands on the white apron over her modest brown healer's uniform with a defeated sigh. She turned her back to him and headed to the door, sliding it open to reveal the lantern-lit hallway. Then the healer paused for a moment, her hand on the door, after a moment's hesitation she turned to take one last glimpse at the silver-haired young man. "And by the way… that's an order, _Captain_. I'll be watching over you, so please don't try escaping." After that she was gone, gently shutting the door behind her.

Time to get out of here.

Kakashi pushed the blanket down, revealing his bare chest wrapped in layers of bandages. In fact, his fair skin was practically fully concealed by them. He had expected to see a few wrappings, but not this, then again he had expected to die, just like the rest of his clan and his closest friend. For a moment his chest ached thinking about it. He had sworn long ago to never think about his father again after finding him in a pool of blood, his own sword slicing his belly open. It was an honorable death, and Kakashi had not heard a single sound when he took his own life, but thinking about his father made him angry, especially after what that Uchiha had said about him. He remembered the venom that wretched, Uchiha _snake_ had hissed about his father; he remembered every word and it poisoned his thoughts.

He was stirred from his thoughts by a pawing at the window. He glanced up and saw a small, brown pug make his way inside, easily hopping onto the floor. The pug walked over and sat beside him, looking him over and then grunting. "I would have thought you'd have escaped by now," the small dog began, "but then again you looked like you were used as a punching bag when they brought you in."

Kakashi frowned more prominently at his familiar. Not many people had them, but he had grown up with his having raised the dog from a small pup. He was attached to the sarcastic yet admirably loyal pug.

"That's not far off," Kakashi answered sitting up, his entire right arm hurt when he used it to pull himself up, but he managed. He mentally noted to subtly thank Rin for patching him up and mending his broken bones. The young man reached out and began scratching his familiar behind the ears making the pug hum happily and mutter, "Move to the left a little, will ya?" The pug was even more content when he began scratching the spot. The dog's tail wagged wildly. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you again, Pakkun," the wolf-shifter admitted.

The wagging stop immediately and the pug looked up at his owner's solemn expression. The silence stretched between them and Kakashi dropped his hand from the dog's head and began to get up. He flinched, grunting aloud and shutting his eyes when he finally got to his feet as pain flared from his ankle - the same ankle that had been run through with debris from that blond kid's explosions. Kakashi faltered and had to brace himself against the wall. The wolf-shifter wouldn't be able to walk if this kept up. It hurt too much.

"Maybe you should lie down, boss," the familiar suggested, stepping back in case his owner fell on him.

"I'm fine, Pakkun," he assured the pug. After a few deep breaths, he managed to acclimate himself to the pain and stood fully erect. He looked down at his ankle. It was also wrapped in bandages and on either side there were a few specks of blood that had soaked through. He'd pull through. He cautiously crossed the room to his wardrobe and began to pull on his clothes. Once he was dressed, he recalled that his armor had been damaged in the battle. It had probably been disposed of since he couldn't find it. That was a problem.

The pug padded up to him and looked up at him worriedly. "Something wrong, boss," the pug inquired.

"Yes, very," he answered before turning to the mannequin to his left and padding over to it, admiring the brand new set of armor. "I've been forced to retire my old armor," he explained and began pulling the pieces off the mannequin to put them on. Pakkun huffed in annoyance and plopped down on the floor, waiting for his owner to finish arranging himself. "It was about time anyhow," the dog grumbled into his paws.

Once Kakashi finished adorning his armor and went to the window, Pakkun on his trail. He pushed it open and looked out over the village surrounding the castle. It was beautiful. Everything was green and filled with life as they reached the pinnacle of summer. Servants, villagers, and soldiers alike milled through the city streets carrying on with their duties. He had always enjoyed the view from here where he could watch both the citizens that he protected and the nature surrounding the palace. The trees, the bridge, the grass, the flowers, even the small creatures that came around to drink from the brook in the early morning made it the best view that he could imagine. He couldn't imagine staying in his own desolate home rather than live in the palace. However, at this moment he couldn't help but regret that he lived on one of the top floors rather than a comfy, less quiet room on the first floor. It would take some careful navigation to make his way down and evade Rin or anyone else that might be outside his door.

Mindful of his poor ankle Kakashi swung his left leg over the window sill and swiveled his right leg over. _Piece of cake_. Pakkun leaped onto his left shoulder to catch a ride down with him. Then he slid off and carefully crouched on the slanted roof, edging towards the ledge. Once there he lay on the ledge and began to climb down, left leg first. The sneaky wolf-shifter managed to set his left leg on the railing with ease and gently set his right on the edge, dropping down on all fours onto the railing with a wince. That ankle is going to get him caught.

"Hey," someone shouted, "what the hell are you doing?" Correction, _one of the guards_ shouted. The man had just rounded the corner and had a sword ready. It was Genma, Kakashi recalled, and right behind him was Raidō, who preferred not to put up with him or his crap despite the wolf-shifter being his superior. "Kakashi? What're you doing out here," Raidō inquired as the pair sheathed their blades and calmly approached him. "We were informed that you were indisposed, sir."

"I'm just going for a stroll," the wolf-shifter replied, dismounting the railing to stand before the man. He rarely saw guards on this floor. Now that he thought about it, he had seen guards everywhere when he had looked out his window a moment ago. The last time he had seen this much security was when Lady Kushina was giving birth. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "What's going on around here," he asked curiously. "It looks busy."

"I'm afraid we don't know. It's above our paygrade," Genma answered offhandedly. Raidō shot his partner a look and focused back on the captain. "All we've heard is that Lord Namikaze wanted security doubled since the day he got back from the field," he explained. "If you want to find out what's going on for sure, you should probably discuss it with him. Good day, Taichou." The battle-scarred veteran bowed respectfully to him and carried on with his duties. "Don't get into any trouble," Genma teased before following behind his partner.

Pakkun's ears perked up and Kakashi thought about that for a moment as he found his way in through the door and began heading downstairs to speak with his former mentor. Minato was probably expecting him anyways, especially after the numerous times Kakashi had walked out on 'the doctor's orders' in the past. He'd probably get an earful from Lady Kushina though, not just from walking out, but also from having a near-death experience to begin with. She didn't really care for his nonchalance when it came to his own health.

The wolf-shifter found his way to the stairs and descended to the bottom floor since he didn't want to be stopped by guards again with his less than traditional method of getting there. He'd still have to avoid Rin though.

When he had reached it, the first thing he noticed was that there were guards everywhere. He figured he'd probably find Minato in the presence of Lady Kushina or in the war planning room. Thinking of his well-being, he decided to go with the latter and began casually making his way there. As he passed by the palace entrance, Pakkun tensed and became immediately alert. "Huh? What is it," he asked his familiar in a voice little more than a whisper.

Pakkun was silent for a moment and in an even quieter voice replied, "The Uchiha. He's _here_."

* * *

Just a few minor things I wanted to note: First off, this is canon divergent and yeah, the Uzumaki did eventually descend from the Sage as well, so hopefully that makes more sense when it comes to Kushina's position as Empress. Secondly, yes. This does imply Sakumo committed seppuku just like in the canon. Kakashi just can't catch a break, can he?

Lastly, and this is important: y'all better brace yourselves because I am telling in advance about the next chapter. **There are going to be traumatic themes and elements, like mentions of torture and depictions of PTSD.** Just FYI. I will be putting warnings in the description.

Thanks for reading! ^_^


	5. The Man In the Mask

Kakashi's heart must have stopped for a moment as he pictured the violent masked-man before him. He could hardly believe his ears. Pakkun wouldn't make up something like that up, and he wouldn't declare it unless he was absolutely sure. "What should we do, boss," his familiar asked, his gruff, wise voice quavering with uncertainty.

Kakashi wasn't sure. No Uchiha had entered the palace in nearly a hundred years; not since Madara betrayed Hashirama all those years ago. He would have to find out where the Empress was and make sure she and her kin were safe first. If the royal family was not safe, he would immediately need to make sure they were relocated somewhere where they would be. He started going at a much brisker pace towards the throne room.

"Captain! Captain," Yamato called jogging up behind him and stopping the wolf-shifter. The dark-haired officer needed to take a moment to catch his breath. "Captain, I've been looking for you everywhere, sir! Her Majesty, Lady Uzumaki, would like to see you immediately in the throne room. It's urgent!" He reported.

"Okay," Kakashi replied, continuing on his way to the throne room, irking his second-in-command. He could practically feel how fed up he was with him as he felt the heat of his glare on the back of his head, but at least he knew Lady Kushina and her family was safe or at least for now. "Are you coming, Tenzo," he called behind him.

"No, no. You go on ahead. I'll just-," he hesitated, panting after his long trek back and glared unamused at the back of his captain's head and mumbled, " _take a moment_."

Kakashi grinned and continued on to the throne room. Upon arriving, the guards at the door recognized him immediately and ushered him inside before closing the tall, golden double doors. At the end of the walkway was Lady Kushina seated upon the dais. Before her lay her son, Naruto, whom was happily drawing on a sheet of paper in bright oranges and reds (those were his favorites), and at her side stood her husband, Minato. They both grinned at him, having expected him. The silver-haired wolf approached and bowed respectfully. "Lady Uzumaki, Lord Namikaze," he addressed them. Pakkun held on tight to keep from falling off. He was relieved to see all three of them safe and sound, even if he had expected as much.

"Kakashi, it's good to see you up and about already," Minato said brightly, causing the small blond before him to raise his head. "Kakashi," he murmured and looked towards the entrance, spotting the wolf-shifter. "Kaka-nii!" The boy shot up and barreled into him, embracing him around the middle and squeezing as tight as a small boy could. The Empress and Minato both watched the exchange with amusement, but Kakashi's face paled he held himself together, trying not to scream from the pain in his still-healing ribs and back.

Thankfully, Pakkun stepped in. "Careful, Naruto. He's still healing."

Naruto let go and jumped back in surprise, believing he had hurt Kakashi. "I'm sorry, Kaka-nii! I was just so glad to see you," the boy squeaked. He looked so guilty that it was enough to tug at Kakashi's heartstrings.

Kakashi sent the boy a soft smile and ruffled his hair. "It's alright, Naruto. It serves me right for getting beat up to begin with," he pointed out reassuringly.

Naruto relaxed immediately and hugged him once again - more gently this time - mindful of his sore body and stepped back to look up at him. "Yeah, Kaa-san was pretty mad at you," he began. "But I'm glad you came back, Nii-san!"

There he goes, pulling on his heartstrings again. Naruto was so young, but already he was familiar with the realization that they were at war - even if it was currently a cold war - and some people didn't come back. Kakashi hated that thought. A child shouldn't have to know about things like that, not at such a cute and innocent age. He reached his hands toward his left shoulder, cautious to not strain his right arm any more than he already had and let Pakkun climb down into his arms. The boy's eyes lit up as he handed him the familiar, immediately smothering the small dog with affection. Kakashi chuckled quietly to himself and headed towards the dais once more as Naruto began playing with the happily yipping pug as they scampered around the room together.

The Empress, although glad to see him was certainly not impressed with him. "It's good to see you up and about Kakashi," she greeted, just as kindly and brightly as her husband had, but then she continued sourly, "even though I had Rin _order_ you to stay in your bed." The heated tone in her voice to accompany that carried the reprimand was enough to make a normal man cower in fear of the powerful woman.

"Ah yes. It couldn't be helped, Lady Kushina. I was requested to come here," he protested neatly.

Lady Kushina shot him a terrifying glare, her sunny, orange aura beginning to glow around her. "Is that so, Kakashi? Because I could have sworn you left your rooms _before_ I sent the order," the Empress claimed, daring him to dispute what she knew to be true. Minato chuckled nervously, not daring to intervene but sympathetic towards his former student.

Rin must have come back in right after he left. Oops. "Oh," Kakashi breathed. "I guess you're right," he corrected himself in an attempt to placate the Empress.

"Next time, you better listen," she ordered then as quickly as the storm had come, it faded. Lady Kushina could sure be scary at times, but he knew she had good reason to be. She had to protect her throne and used her intimidating tone and mystical appearance to deter any that wished to usurp the Senju-Uzumaki line. As Minato's student and somewhat 'adopted' son she tended to worry over him and treat him with the utmost kindness, but only behind closed doors where the prying eyes and ears of corrupt vassals could not intrude. Here, however, before any and all bonds she was the Empress, a powerful monarch and a force of which to be reckoned with. The woman was obliged to keep her personal feelings about the young Hatake to herself here.

After a brief cool down, Minato cleared his throat and grinned. "We're glad you came so quickly though, Kakashi because we have an important mission for you." The blond man beamed and reached into a pouch on his caster's cloak revealing a small scroll with a bright blue seal. He discretely handed it to Kakashi before nodding with an ominous intent and went on, "Since you're not able to go back out into the field for a little while, Her Imperial Highness, Lady Kushina, and I have decided to have you watch over the Uchiha prisoner located inside the stockade. I trust you'll find all the details you'll need inside." Minato took a beat to keep himself in check, making Kakashi's anxiety rise up in the back of his throat with a foul, bitter taste. "Good luck on your mission, Kakashi," then the lord bowed cordially to his student.

"I will not disappoint you." The captain bowed even more respectfully and backed away, turning to leave so that he may find a quiet, secluded place to read his missive scroll.

* * *

About an hour later, Kakashi was walking down the hall to where the captive was contained. As he approached the single, iron door he saw another caster standing just outside. Minato and Kushina must have already planned this far ahead of time. Said caster stood leaning against the wall, relaxed against it comfortably as though she couldn't be bothered by its rigidness, with her arms crossed over her gratuitous chest, only opening her inhuman eyes when she found Kakashi directly in front of her. She shot him a wanton smile and straightened herself out. "Here for something, Captain," she asked after looking him over.

"Just here to see the prisoner, Anko," he answered, addressing the woman and ignoring her provocative tone.

"How boring," she sighed heavily and tilted her head to the side. "This guy though, Kakashi, must be pretty powerful seeing as all of my babies were getting excited about him." Her voice had wavered for a fleeting moment and she didn't sound too thrilled about the revelation. She glanced up at the dark ceiling, lantern light illuminating her hair in the dimmed hallway and making it appear the color of violets in the undergrowth as she mused over thoughts. After a moment she shifted her gaze back to Kakashi, her eyes now a bright yellow with slit-shaped pupils, just like a serpent's. "You sure you want to go in? I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him."

"I believe I can handle it," he affirmed. It wouldn't be too big of a deal with all the magic-zapping seals covering the inside of the walls and that was in addition to the one Minato had placed on the man during his apprehension. Most of the seals were designed by the best seal masters in the state, the Uzumakis and the method went back centuries. Kakashi was confident in them. He dipped his hands into their respective side pouches and waited expectantly for Anko to open the door for him to meet their prisoner. As soon as he had stepped inside, the serpentine woman had shut the door, leaving him alone with the Uchiha.

The room had a remarkably high ceiling compared to the hallway and was lit only by a special fixture attached to the ceiling, giving off artificial sunlight that just barely lit the room. Seated on the futon bedding, cloaked in the shadows was the Uchiha. Their bloody-crimson eyes pierced through him, making Kakashi's heart hammer. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and held the man's gaze, glad that he couldn't see through the mask that covered his lower face. The intensity of those unnatural eyes made the room feel stifling and hot so Kakashi broke his gaze, looking over the man instead. "I don't think you'll be holding your promise now, Uchiha," the wolf-shifter pointed out, observing the room and the accompanying chains that held the hostile man captive, provokingly referencing the threats the man had made just days before.

The man continued to stare at him, yet in spite of his silence, Kakashi could hear chains sliding noisily across the floor. The Uchiha shifted, keeping himself in the shadows, his eyes still the only thing visible of his person. "So it really is you then, Hatake," the Uchiha purred in amusement. "I thought I'd left you broken and dying of your wounds. I'll have to try harder next time." He chuckled meanly at the easily thrown back taunt.

Kakashi released his own short, scornful laugh, making the Uchiha narrow his eyes at him. "As far as you're concerned, there won't be a next time. You've already been disgraced and now you've been captured," the wolf-shifter jeered. "At this point, I wouldn't think you would have a bright future ahead of you, Uchiha, or do you prefer ' _Obito_ '?"

As he uttered the man's name, the Uchiha bolted upright, baring his teeth and practically frothing at the mouth. Kakashi was just out of his reach, but he could still feel the Uchiha's hot breath on his face, penetrating beneath the cloth mask. "How dare you insult my honor in such a way, _filth_ ," he snarled at the silver-haired young man.

Now that he had come to the light Kakashi could make out just about all of his features. As a symbol of his lost title, his inky black hair was shorn short rather than tied in a long ponytail like many of the other high-ranking Uchihas the wolf-shifter had seen, but that wasn't the most noticeable thing about him. Obito's jawline was long and rounded, yet his face was marred with various scars over the left side from cuts of varying depth and length. On the same side from the neck down were old burn scars that had reddened and warped the skin over time. Kakashi mused that the Uchiha must have gotten these scars when he was very young, but he could help but think that he'd have been beautiful if he wasn't so horribly disfigured.

Obito glowered at him and appeared half-crazed and manic with rage, pulling at the chains that held his hands together in a steel triangular covering. "Don't you _ever_ speak my name again," he hissed.

Kakashi couldn't help but feel some amount of pity for this man. He could no longer remain on edge after seeing him, but he remained on guard. The prisoner was still an Uchiha and a dangerous one. Losing his words for a moment, he stared at the crimson-eyed raven who had turned back and began pacing like a caged animal. "See something you like, Hatake," Obito queried sarcastically, sneering at him.

"Well, I'd have to admit that you're not my type," Kakashi quipped, shrugging in response, settling himself against a sidewall, still just out of the Uchiha's range. Obito paused for a moment and narrowed his eyes at him once more, vexed. It was then that the prisoner became eerily calm and sauntered back over to the wolf-shifter.

"Humor will not save you when I come for your head, Hatake or your queen's," Obito whispered mirthlessly, each word dripping in severe and immeasurable sincerity and hatred.

"Hmm, maybe not, but I don't think you'll be getting out any time soon," Kakashi returned, mocking him once more.

The chains rattled as Obito reached out for him in vain but his arms were yanked behind him by the chain once again. He didn't give in and continuing to force his way forward, his nose nearly brushed Kakashi's as his bare feet fought for traction on the smooth stone floor, sliding between his own willpower and that of his shackles. "Then I swear to you, when I do get out, I'll kill you first - _slowly_ , just how I promised. Damn your queen! You won't be able to stop me once I escape, I can promise you that," he swore, revealing a sly, toothsome smile.

Kakashi rose an eyebrow at the Uchiha, having slowly removed his left hand from his side pocket during his rant. All of his words would be for naught as the Captain of the Imperial Guard wouldn't allow such a monster after Lady Kushina. That he could promise.

Swiftly Kakashi sent his fist pummeling into Obito's scarred face. Tensing at the last second, just before the blow hit, the man lost his balance from the force of the punch and landed on the floor with Kakashi standing over him. "I will never allow you to get your hands on my liege, _Obito Uchiha_. And now, you will sit here until you rot!" And the Uchiha had the gall to look up at him in shock as the wolf-shifter left the room.

Immediately the silver-haired young man slumped against the door and slid onto the floor to catch his breath and steel his nerves, settling his hands on his knees and hanging his head. It was just as bad as he thought, maybe even worse. _That guy_ … he was a true monster and it took nearly all he had to fight against the intricate seals of the room to do what he needed to. Regardless, it had been a success.

Anko crouched down beside him, "Are you alright, Captain?" She knew that he didn't get injured and that the room blocked conventional magic, so she was unsure what had affected him in such a way. "Kakashi," Anko tried to beacon him out of his quiet place. "Kakashi! Snap out of it!" She shook him, giving the wolf-shifter a start. "What's going on with you, Kakashi," she asked, her tone demanding an answer.

Kakashi swallowed, steadying himself and trying to soothe his dry throat before proceeding to send her a thin, cool smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, cautiously standing to keep from jostling his still-healing injuries. He was exhausted from that encounter, even after four days in a dark, dreamless state. The wolf-shifter felt like going to bed for another week and forgetting all about the masked man.

"You're so full of crap," Anko said with an irritable pout, her eyes still an unnatural sulfuric yellow. "And you're a shitty liar!"

"You know me so well, but I'm only bad at it when you're in that form," Kakashi responded just as coolly.

She chuckled humorlessly in response, shaking her head at the wolf-shifter's teasing. "Jackass." Kakashi hummed in affable contentment. He wasn't going to outright disagree with her, then again, he had no grounds to.

Anko was talented when it came to her shifting abilities, so much so that she could change parts of her body to a serpentine version of it. The snake-like features gave her an undeniably deadly edge and it was more than likely that right now she could still smell the stale, pungent scent of dread all over him just like her pets. He couldn't pull the wool over her eyes, and it was lucky he was able to bluff the Uchiha so easily, especially since the guy seemed to know something that no one else did. It made worry gnaw at his guts.

Kakashi stood up and readopted his calm, unflappable demeanor. "I should probably report back now," he said, more to himself than to Anko who nodded at him in approval. With that, the wolf-shifter turned on his good heel and retreated down the hall, on his way to inform Minato of what had occurred.

"Oh and Kakashi," Anko called, "get some rest, will ya?"

Kakashi made a sound of agreement and continued on his way back to the palace.

* * *

The wolf-shifter padded his way back to the palace to make a swift report to Lord Namikaze to let him know what he had gleaned from the Uchiha. He had become uncertain what the Uchiha was planning or if he had noticed the magic Kakashi had used on him, but hopefully, his former mentor would have a better idea of what to do about the man.

He found Minato in his private suite, conversing hushedly with two men. The first was had dark-blond hair and was nearly as tall as himself with a grave, wise face that spoke admission to many years of being a veteran both on the frontlines and behind them. This was Inoichi Yamanaka, a scryer from a highly-reputed clan. As a Yamanaka, he had a special ability known only to him and those of his kin; he could read minds and control them. It was an invaluable ability to Minato, the Empress, and their council. The other was a mirthless looking man with tall, spiky black hair, an equally styled goatee, and two long scars running diagonally across the right side of his face just missing his eye on either side. (For a split second, Kakashi was reminded of Obito's scarred face and body.) This was Shikaku Nara, a genius and one of the most brilliant tacticians Kakashi had encountered, but also one of the most severe and glum men that he had ever met. If Kakashi himself hadn't been a Captain or an astounding tactician himself, he'd be way out of his depth in a room with all three of them.

The silver-haired young man stated his greeting when the group had noticed and approached the table they all kneeled around. Minato regarded him stonily and said nothing, unnerving Kakashi further.

"You're right on time, Captain," Inoichi greeted in return with a polite smile.

"Please, take a seat, Kakashi-san, and tell us what you've learned," Shikaku directed him. Kakashi bowed lightly and obeyed, seating himself on the vacant cushion, the door to his back.

All three gazes settled on him as he reported what had happened in the cell down to the last detail. No one seemed very impressed by his recounting of events so the younger man figured they already knew. How utterly useless.

"Well, at least we know his motivation now," Inoichi stated when the Hatake had finished.

"No," Shikaku input. "We don't know anything. Those seem to be his personal feelings, but we haven't even scratched the surface. His position on the battlefield, his fight against Hatake-san and Namikaze-dono… it's all a ruse." Kakashi had to have stopped breathing as he strained to pay attention to every detail the tactician had to say. "What Hatake-san has reported and what Yamanaka-san has discovered from his broken mind leads to one thing," he took a drink from the cup in front of him and Kakashi noted that it smelled a lot stronger than tea. "The Uchiha is a puppet - a sacrificial pawn - nothing more and nothing less."

That made a lot of sense, actually, but what was his aim in getting captured? Kakashi voiced as much and Shikaku shook his head at him, chortling.

"Kakashi, you're young, but not blind," he stated, regarding Kakashi. "I assume that he didn't himself plan on getting captured; the puppeteer did and carefully orchestrated it before he could realize what had happened to him." He picked up his cup once more, his eyes were calculating and calm even as he delivered the most destructive, tremulous blow to the young wolf that he had heard since he was a mere pup, "He is just a device meant to incite chaos and plunge us into an infinite war. Peace will become an impossibility." Shikaku threw back his glass, the strong alcohol burning all the way down back of his throat as his hands trembled uncharacteristically.

Inoichi leaned forward and looked even more grave. "How do you figure, Shikaku?"

"Have you seen his face? He's been disgraced, but yet, he's still alive, so it's simple really," he made to pour himself another glass, even as all the attention in the room, but Minato held his hand in front of the bottle, forcing him to retract his hand. "Please, Nara-san," Kakashi's former mentor stated, "continue your train of thought.

Shikaku sighed forlornly and proceeded. "The Uchiha, _Obito_ was his name? He was in a higher caste and had powerful parentage, which made him too valuable for them to dispatch. Clearly, they erased his memories and toyed with his emotions, not just to turn him into a puppet, but to conceal his lineage from _us_." Minato straightened and gestured for the tactician to pour himself another glass of sake, which he did so.

"I'm guessing, Namikaze-dono, that the enemy will want their toy sent back to them, and if they don't get him, well, _we're fucked_." He threw another glass back. _Kami_ , after that, Kakashi could use a drink too. Inoichi had similar thoughts and began pouring him a glass.

Kakashi had to remain calm as his heart hammered in his chest. "So what'll we do," the captain asked, glancing around the table.

Minato frowned, creasing his usually bright and optimistic face. "We'll have to protect him until we can make an arrangement with the Uchiha," the leader answered. "Obito's master likely knows that there will be people here who will want to kill him to profit from more bloodshed, and that's where you come in, Kakashi." His blue eyes, crystalline and hopeful like his son's were now dore and melancholic, sobering the captain.

"What will I have to do, sir," he asked, resolutely. Kakashi had a feeling he knew what was coming, but he could not falter, especially with what was on the line.

After a silence that seemed to stretch on forever, dropping an almost unbearable weight on his shoulders, his former master continued, "Kakashi, you'll have to protect him and keep him out of the hands of those that wish for his death..." _At the cost of everything._

That drink started to sound more appealing.

"Kakashi-san," Inoichi addressed him, shifting his attention away from Minato. "If you have someone you want to speak to beforehand, I suggest you do it now, while you still have the time."

"But don't forget, Kakashi," Shikaku added. "Outside of this room, you cannot tell anyone of this."

Kakashi nodded in acceptance. "I understand."

"Thank you, Kakashi," Minato said, still as miserable looking as before, even though he had managed to plaster a small, apologetic smile to his first. "You may leave."

The Hatake bowed his head in respect and left to run an errand before all Hell broke loose.

* * *

The silver-haired young man dolefully headed into the village towards the shopping district. His nerves felt raw and as his boots padded softly against the dusty ground, he began to pass neat rows of wwell-cared-for houses of natural wood and paper windows with the soft, homely glow of residents enjoying their time at home as the moon took its perch in the newly painted night, speckled with brilliantly shining stars. A few residents in their single-colored kimonos still milled up and down the streets alongside handfuls of soldiers in their hard leather armor and some in their caster's gear who patrolled the streets maintaining a battle-ready stance.

Continuing on his path, calm and serene homes became shops and stalls, brightly lit and lively with both patrons and exciting energy selling everything from fine silks to high-grade weapons and basic cooking staples - found in every restaurant or home - to live hens and fish. Kakashi had his eye on one place in particular, hoping it would help raise his mood, and took a seat at the noodle stall. The owner immediately recognized him and began to put together his usual order.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon, Kakashi-san," the shop owner, Teuchi greeted him heartily, just as he did everyone else in the village, even the Empress herself (whom couldn't get enough of the delicious dishes).

"Ah, I heal pretty quickly," the wolf-shifter explained. My how word travels fast. Was there anyone who didn't know about his hazardous folly?

"Oh, I see! That's lucky then," Teuchi commented, then the rotund shop owner set a hot, steaming bowl in front of him. The mouthwatering smells made his hunger prominent, grumbling in its emptiness. Kakashi took up a pair of chopsticks and said his thanks before relishing his meal. It really was lucky though, or at least that Minato was able to get to him before the Uchiha had beaten him any more than he already had, but Kakashi only gave an affirming hum in response.

After a few mouthfuls, another customer came and seated themselves at the stall before turning to them, recognizing him, and beaming brightly. "My rival! I had no idea you'd be here, Kakashi," Guy proclaimed loudly, his elation as radiant as his horrendously bright green uniform and tangerine light-armor. He reseated himself just beside the wolf-shifter and ordered his own meal. "How have you been, my friend," he asked just as enthusiastically.

Kakashi took another bite, slurping up his noodles quickly before answering flatly, "Hungry mostly." That elicited a hearty laugh from the other man.

"Ah, my rival, Kakashi! You're just as funny as usual," he said as his own bowl was set before him. The green-clad man said his own thanks and began to chow down, slurping his noodles just as loudly, but then again everything about the _mighty_ Guy seemed loud.

"I was serious though," the wolf-shifter sighed.

Guy chortled as he patted Kakashi's back in a friendly, good-natured way, but it still caused the wolf-shifter to tense and sputter a bit with his mouthful of noodles. "I'm glad to see you, my friend! I haven't been able to find you for a friendly challenge in days," he proclaimed, still lively and seemingly unaware this week's news. He wasn't always the most perceptive, so Kakashi couldn't blame him, but that didn't stop him from subtly narrowing his eyes at him. But either way, he didn't plan on catching him up to speed with recent events though.

"Say, Kakashi," Guy asked brightly, "you wouldn't mind having a friendly contest on this youthful evening, would you?" His eyes seemed to twinkle strangely and his being radiating with barely contained excitement. The expression had ascended far above the level of simply pleading, so far above that Kakashi could not find the words to describe it and as much as he wanted to refuse, he couldn't. It would be akin to kicking a playfully eager puppy and no matter the circumstances, Kakashi would never be able to do such a thing. He inwardly groaned.

"What type of contest," the wolf-shifter gave in, defeated.

Guy looked like a child on Christmas Day and beamed once more with joy. "How about a lively ramen-eating contest? Whoever finishes their second bowl first is the winner," he cheered.

Kakashi shrugged. Why not? In comparison to some of Guy's other contests, this one was remarkably tame for the exuberant man. "Alright, Guy, but just this one contest," he conceded, knowing better than to _not_ put in that condition. Guy was exceptionally good at convincing the wolf-shifter with his pleading puppy-dog eyes.

The two received their second bowls and Teuchi officiated with amusement. As soon as he said ' _go_ ' the two rivals were slurping up their noodles in enormous mouthfuls until Kakashi stopped and relaxed in his seat. "Kakashi wins, Guy," Teuchi announced, making the green-clad man nearly choke on his current mouthful.

"How did you finish so quickly, my rival," Guy asked pouting, bewildered by the silver-haired captain.

"I was _very_ hungry," Kakashi stated, reiterating his words from earlier.

Teuchi gave a thunderous guffaw, his sides rolling with laughter. "I'd say! I don't think anyone but the Empress could enjoy my ramen that quickly," he bellowed, clearing away the empty bowls from the counter.

The other soldier seemed unfazed once more by the defeat and set a broad smile on his face. "Well then, my rival! It would only be fair that I pay for your meal as I've lost our youthful competition," Guy offered happily, taking out his money pouch and paying the friendly shop-owner for both meals.

Kakashi thanked him by smiling genuinely. Guy, despite his many quirks, was one of his most well-meaning colleagues and although it took had taken several years to accept it, the wolf-shifter actually enjoyed his company.

The two got up and ducked under the shop's banner to leave. "I'll be seeing you soon, my good rival," the bowl-haired soldier declared sending him a thumbs up and they parted ways, Kakashi headed to exchange places with Anko, who would be more than happy to swap with him.

* * *

Kakashi was at the stockade gate, his attention held captive - more or less - by a small orange book lit by a weak emanation of his own magic when two masked men, flanking the gateway called for him to halt. They wore the mark and uniform of the ANBU, the 'secret police' of the Senju kingdom. Most of what they did was assassinate traitors and criminals, just like the acronyms their unit was monikered after, but traitors and criminals, depending on the person, was a loose term. Kakashi had encountered them before and there was certainly no comradery or kinship between them. He reluctantly pulled his eyes from the page, holding his place with his fingers.

"Kakashi Hatake," the one on the left addressed him stonily from behind a mask decorated to look like a boar, "we are here to relieve you of duty. ANBU forces will be tasked with guarding the prisoner from this point forward. You are relieved of your mission."

Kakashi looked between the two of them and raised an eyebrow before nodding, "Okay." He held his book back up, taking back his place and walked off, heading to the palace instead, his smirk shielded from the ANBU by his well-worn novel. _Amateurs._ The captain giggled into his novel as he skimmed through the next page and disappeared into the night.

* * *

"Taichou! Taichou! It's Tenzo, I have important news, sir!"

That was the first thing the wolf-shifter heard that morning, waking him from a dreamless sleep. He sat up from his futon, pushing his familiar off his chest with a quiet grumble before running fingers through his wiry hair. Tenzo was a silhouette behind the entryway door, restlessly waiting behind it. He sighed. The wolf-shifter was still exhausted, then again he didn't get much sleep that evening, but he knew he best not keep Tenzo waiting. The lieutenant might run a groove into the floor with his pacing.

"Come in, Tenzo," he yawned, propping himself up more completely.

The dark-haired soldier trotted in quickly, forgetting to close the sliding door behind him and padding across the tatami mat. He seated himself on the floor and squirmed as he restrained himself from calling out and informing him exactly what had happened.

"What's the news," Kakashi asked, waiting apprehensively.

"The Uchiha prisoner has been murdered, Captain. His body was found this morning by stockade guards. ANBU are already investigating the murder, sir," he reported, troubled.

Kakashi let his head fall back as he considered this and turned back to his subordinate. "That is bad pretty bad news," he confirmed. "He was an excellent example of his clan's finest warriors and a valuable asset in gaining ground over his clan."

"I agree, sir."

"Have the ANBU begun to question other prisoners and guards about it yet," the captain inquired.

Tenzo though for a moment and shook his head. "Not that I know of, Captain." Kakashi suspected ANBU would do as much were they met him at the stockade to begin with.

The wolf-shifter began to pull himself up, trying his best to conceal his pain from his second. Pakkun whined in his stead just watching him stand. He was feeling a bit better than he had the day before but his body still ached and twinged from healing skin and mending bones. His only relief had been in receiving some pain relieving drugs from Rin.

"Has Lord Namikaze already been informed of this, Tenzo," Kakashi asked as he crossed the room to his wardrobe, proceeding to get dressed and armored for the day.

"Yes, Taichou! We made sure Lord Namikaze was informed immediately once the discovery was made," his lieutenant answered once more. That was good. At least with that Minato could start working up some sort of plan or gather some more clues as to who was planning the betrayal and pulling the ANBU's and the Uchiha's strings.

"Alright," Kakashi said as he finished fastening his arm guards. "We'll see what they find. Until then, I want you to resume your duties and keep the men posted where they are with around the clock sentries focused at the gate and around the stockade," he ordered resolutely.

"Yes, Taichou!" The dark-haired lieutenant bowed respectfully in affirmation and got up to head out, balking somewhat at his rudeness when he realized he had left the door open the first time, and went about his duties.

Pakkun grunted and pouted up at his owner. "I don't know why you didn't tell the kid, boss," he grumbled, watching as Kakashi began to adorn his weapons. "Tenzo's a good kid," the pug paused to huff at him, "he's one of the most trustworthy subordinates you have. He could keep an eye out for you."

Kakashi turned to look at his familiar who was still comfortably laid out on the futon. "I know, Pakkun, but he has enough to worry about. He doesn't need to know or overthink about more than he already does," the wolf-shifter pointed out.

Pakkun inclined his head slightly. "That's true. Are we headed _there_ , boss," he asked before getting up and stretching with a whining yawn. The hardest part of the morning (in the little dog's opinion) was waking up.

"Yes. I think we could use a little advice, Pakkun."


	6. My Heart Beats For You

Kakashi spent about an hour milling about his home on the west quadrant of the town, making sure everything was ready if he had to leave. He made sure everything was cleaned up, the food in his pantry was either disposed of or packed away, although to Kakashi's pain and relief they were nearly barren, aside from a small bag of rice and a box of tea leaves. It reflected how empty his residence felt, the walls holding their breath in an inexhaustible silence. He wasn't exactly a good host anyways, so others visited him very seldomly, unless it was to deliver important news, although he rarely stayed at home and much preferred his captain's quarters in the palace. Even so, unwanted thoughts drifted in his mind telling him that it seemed poetically just that his heart was just as devoid of happiness and hope. It was just as well, that this would likely be the last time he stood here as he had never once thought of this place as 'home'. Home was a foreign word and a long lost concept to him.

Pakkun rested at his feet, looking up at his owner curiously. "You ready to go, boss?" he asked, his head tilted in ponder but maintained careful observation of Kakashi's wanderings.

"Mmm, yeah, I'm ready," Kakashi nodded, pulling himself away from the distraction of his own thoughts.

Pakkun led his owner to the door and waited for him to open it, knowing exactly where they were headed, but Kakashi hesitated and looked down at him, a hand on the wood-paneled door. "Pakkun," he murmured, addressing the dark-colored pug.

"Yeah, boss?"

"I want you to stay with Rin from now on," he ordered softly. A shroud of gloom hung over him and the pug could pick it up like a bloodhound on a scent. He could remember the moment he first held the small dog in his arms, Pakkun's short, stumpy tail wagging joyly upon meeting his new friend. The pup had been all alone, just like he was, so he took him as his own. Little Pakkun had proved to be a very intelligent pup and as soon as he began to speak they sealed the bond that forged their souls together. That's how it's been ever since. Kakashi couldn't help but to be reluctant to leave him. But Pakkun understood.

The dog lowered his head morosely and his tail fell behind him, tucked away sadly. But after a sentimental, affectionate headbutt against his owner's leg, they were out the door and heading away on their own separate paths.

* * *

Close to the edge of the village, there was a hot spring where both men and women would go to bathe on separate sides of the establishment. The building was one of the few in the village that remained open constantly in order to cater to both soldiers and civilians. This happened to be exactly where Kakashi was heading.

On years where the weather was fair, or if called back to his home, there was an elderly man with long white hair and a passion for noveling that lingered around the village. He was as wise as they came and particularly skilled in many things, earning him a position as an advisor to the now-retired Princess Tsunade, but also to the current Empress and her spouse. The man's name was Jiraiya, but for all his greatness and skill, he had one fatal weakness: he was an enormous pervert.

Every morning, come rain or shine, Jiraiya would come to the bathhouse when the maidens would come to bathe to catch a glimpse of their unsuspecting, voluptuous bodies. He claimed it was for researching his latest novel, but everyone knew better. Jiraiya had always found delight in peeping on women when he could. It was enough to make you cringe, especially in his attempts to flirt with those aforementioned young women. He was a dirty old man, but his advice on anything other than dating was fairly sound, which was Kakashi's plan and despite his flaws, he was exactly who he needed to speak with.

He'd only met the man on a few occasions, the first being when he was a child, but upon their first encounter, he had immediately called him a pervy old man. Jiraiya wasn't exactly pleased, but he didn't deny it. It was ironic however that nowadays, Kakashi would not be one to talk. Whenever the opportunity presented itself, he'd been seen with a copy of Jiraiya's most recent lewd novel, captivated by the book's unintentional discount-romance premise. It was so genuinely characterized and perverse in such an endearing way that he simply couldn't tear his eyes away from the page. Every page was loaded with drama and suspense that he was left straining and aching to find out what happened next! Just having it in his hand would easily brighten up his day, but for some reason, he didn't have the book on him.

Kakashi paused for a moment and frantically searched his pouches for the book. That won't do! Dejectedly, he figured he must have left it at his suite in the palace or at home somewhere. He'd have to find it once he was done here. Now how would he get the thing signed by its genius author? The young man could do nothing but pout with an expression akin to a kicked puppy.

Approaching the bathhouse, he saw a man with a tail of white, unkempt hair and a muted red haori over an olive-green, short kimono-shirt. The man's face was hidden as he happily hummed while peering through a loose bamboo post; that is, he was peering into the women's bath. Kakashi would have turned around and walked back the way he had come had it been anyone else, but sadly, this was who he had come to see. It wouldn't make much sense to back out now. The exasperated captain sighed dutifully. Here goes nothing.

"Um, Jiraiya-sensei," Kakashi addressed him, standing just behind him. He didn't particularly want to catch his own glimpse into the bath since that wouldn't be befitting of someone of his rank (well, it wasn't very befitting of someone of Jiraiya's rank either, but well, here they were). The man made no attempt to move or any motion to show he had heard him, so he tried again, but still nothing. This time, the old man chuckled, murmuring something perverse under his breath, once more heeding him no mind. It didn't sound like any of the women inside had noticed him yet either. Today, Kakashi's patience just happened to be running thin, so the clever wolf-shifter decided to improvise.

"Oh my god! Are you looking into the women's bath," he gasped in a deafening voice, making the man in the haori start and voices rise from the other side of the wall. The owner of the bathhouse, a tiny woman with a particularly bad attitude came hustling out with a cane, running quite well for a cripple in her mid-seventies. As soon as she saw him, she began beating Jiraiya over the head with the improvised weapon, shouting obscenities at him while the old man tried to explain and plead for her to stop hitting him.

"Woman, stop! I'm just researching my novel! There's no reason to be so fussy," he cried, covering his bruising face and sore head.

"You get out of here, you dirty pervert! You're costing me my business! Shoo! Shoo," the woman screamed, scaring off Jiraiya who fled in a hurry after realizing he couldn't do anything to stop her. When he was out of sight, the granny huffed in satisfaction and pointed her menacing cane at Kakashi with ire. "Were you peeking too, pretty boy?"

" Pretty boy ?" Kakashi was taken aback and put up his hands to appease her. "No, ma'am. I-I wouldn't think of it," he answered honestly, a thin, nervous smile blooming behind his mask. It did nothing to calm the angered woman, if anything, it only worsened her mood.

" Liar !" The woman attacked him and began beating him with the cane all the same. It didn't hurt in the very least, not with Kakashi's protective layers to dampen the blows to almost non-existent, but it was humiliating. It'd be even more embarrassing if Lady Kushina or - gods save him - Rin found out about it. He'd never hear the end of it, no matter what his explanation was! Making haste, the captain ran, fleeing in the direction he saw Jiraiya run off to. Hopefully, he'd catch up with him before he found another bathhouse to terrorize.

It took some time before he caught up with the old man trying to flirt with a group of young women somewhere in the shopping district. He told them some kind of joke, whether making them giggle either out of obligation or genuine good humor Kakashi wasn't sure.

Kakashi had followed the older man all around the village until the captain finally approached once more and this time, Jiraiya saw him coming up and didn't look too impressed with him. At least he had made an impact on him, although not to the desired effect. Good luck getting a signed copy of 'Come Come Paradise' now , he thought glumly. The man was seated in a restaurant, with a bottle of sake and a mostly eaten meal in front of him and a young, well-endowed woman on either side, ladening him with praise and cackling at his jokes and attempts to flirt.

Kakashi decided to go for it. "Jiraiya-sensei, I'm looking to ask you-,"

"Get out of here, kid," Jiraiya said, telling him off. "I'm not signing anything right now." The girls giggled and playfully teased the old man for being so mean to a fan, disregarding the fact that he was still standing right in front of them.

Ouch . Well, that hit a soft spot. Kakashi's heart was surely broken after such a reprimand from his favorite author. That was it! No more Mister-Nice-Hatake. He scowled at the old man, pouting as he continued to flirt with the two young women.

"As I was saying," Kakashi cleared his throat and continued more sternly, "I'm looking to ask you if you were at the Hananoki Bathhouse? Someone of your precise description was seen peeping on the female bathers."

Jiraiya paled and looked conflicted about answering the question. "Look kid, I have no idea what you're talking about. I've never been there before, especially to peep at anyone," he answered smoothly, deflecting Kakashi's question.

Kakashi regarded that for a moment, seeing right through his lie. He decided to go about this from a different angle. "You know, it's a crime to lie to the Imperial Guard during a criminal investigation. I happened to see you there and so did the establishment owner," the captain shot back.

"Well, I may have gone there…," the sagely old man drawled before more resolutely adding, "but only for research purposes!" That did the trick.

"Ew! What a pervert," one of the young women cried, storming off. The other had the same sentiments and stomped on Jiraiya's undeserving foot before following her friend's lead, leaving the old man bewildered and in pain for a few moments. Kakashi grinned impishly behind his mask. He had to take pleasure the little things, like subtle, unexpected revenge.

"Why'd you have to go and do that for," Jiraiya asked, unhappily. "And what are you following me for anyway? You're not a sexy lady. Get lost."

Kakashi was beginning to get fed up with Jiraiya, but it made him spare a thought for how Tenzo felt after consistently prodding of his poor, overworked lieutenant's nerves. He had once heard that Jiraiya was always like this; pestering and annoying his opponents to determine their weakness. The old man believed it was most advantageous to learn your enemy's triggers and what made them the most upset. Although it sounded to Kakashi like a poor excuse to rile your opponent, he couldn't deny that in some cases it had helped him as well.

As Kakashi stood there in annoyance, Jiraiya made to leave. "If you'll please give me a moment of your time-"

"No. I got more research to do and more beautiful ladies to see," the old man stated, heading back out of the building and onto the street. Kakashi followed his trail, a few paces behind. The sagely pervert weaved this way and that, down busy streets and narrow alleyways, but Kakashi managed to easily keep track of him until he finally managed to get ahead of him.

"What's your problem, kid," Jiraiya demanded, irked at being followed by the silver-haired young man. "I'm not interested in anything you're selling!" His cheeks were still pleasantly red from consuming so much alcohol, making the red eyes stemming from his lower eyelid and down seem even angrier red than when he'd first encountered him this morning. He hesitated a moment before adding more quietly, "And I don't do guys."

Kakashi felt his eyes attempt to roll into the back of his head. Could this day end already? "I'll keep that in mind," he said dryly. "But that's not what I've come to ask about."

"Oh? Well, what is it then," Jiraiya inquired curiously, his eyes made him seem straightforward and wise as he focused on Kakashi. It was a significant contrast from the perverse geezer complex he'd had as Kakashi stalked him all morning.

The silver-haired man sighed in relief. He'd finally been given the opportunity to get a word in edgewise, as long as he didn't waste it. "Jiraiya-sensei, I want to ask you about the lands around the Uchiha state."

Jiraiya seemed both amused and thoughtful. "Oh? What do you want to know about it," the old man sounded much too suspicious for Kakashi's liking. Were there more people in on this than Kakashi thought or was the old man just that perceptive? Knowing Jiraiya, it could be either one and he didn't know him quite that well at all.

"Well, I've heard you've traveled a lot so I wanted to know if you've been there and what the other lands around the Land of Fire like," he conceded cautiously, the visible part of his face dusted pink following the reluctant question. The captain desperately hoped that if he asked like a moderately curious civilian that the old man would take his word for it as such.

"That's it?" The old man rubbed his chin and hummed thoughtfully, seemingly considering the shy wolf-shifter's request. "Come on, kid," the sage finally agreed. "I'll tell you whatever you want to ask," and he beamed patting his back in a jovial way.

Kakashi flinched as residual pain shot through his spine from his prior injuries and couldn't help but to be unnerved, knowing just where that hand might have been, but followed along anyways to acquire what information he could from the old man.

* * *

Rin Nohara considered herself to be a pretty capable and intelligent woman. She had been taught to harness her healing magic from the time she was fairly young and was quickly advancing into being a capable surgeon at the rather young age of twenty-one.

The young woman was the sole member of her clan that possessed magic. It manifested when she was about four years old in the form of a meadowy, green light that inspired mirth in those around her, a sure sign of healing magic. It was considered a blessing for such a power to come about in her youth and once she was five years old, just old enough to understand it, she decided to seek out tutoring to control its power. However, it was against her father's wishes. He was a traditional man than frowned upon the magic and treachery that it brought with it, but Rin would not heed his say. She simply couldn't let her powers go to waste.

Outcast by her family, she was sent to a camp to begin her training. This had taken place over a decade ago, around the time she met her first and only love, Kakashi Hatake.

Kakashi wasn't particularly fond of anyone but Rin was utterly enamored with him. He was talented, intelligent, and fairly cute, despite his cold, aloof nature. Drawn to his aura of strength and unintentional charisma, her younger-self decided that she wanted nothing more than to be by his side, both to learn from him and to be friends. She tried very hard to be friendly towards him, but it seemed impossible with Kakashi's disdain for others. Neither children nor adults were spared from the distrust he held close to his heart, so they didn't spend much time together.

When Rin had finally graduated beyond the tutelage of her mentors and became a full-fledged healer, she and several others were conscripted to the tactical healing forces in service of the Empress and the Senju dynasty. As days turned to months and then to years, the young woman grew close to her companions, recognizing them as friends as well as comrades. Thinking back on it, Rin mentally berated herself for having been so foolish and impressionable in what felt like her distant youth. Romanticizing war was the last thing she should've done and every decision leading up to her becoming a soldier was now laden with guilt and regret.

By the time she had reached this age, she had lost many comrades to bloody battles and a few to their own minds being broken by constant bloodshed and politic perils. And after all the lives lost and the lives she had taken in her service, she finally understood Kakashi's coldness.

Her friendship with Kakashi had finally blossomed after that, like a determined flower rising up through the snow, and they grew closer together. Their closeness was so indisputable that many of the other healers and soldiers thought the pair of them were having an amorous affair. Well, the joke was on them.

It was true that Rin still had feelings for the captain, it was even more obvious that they were unrequited. Kakashi wasn't interested in anyone and with his troubled past, she knew he may never be and that was fine with her. Regardless of their relationship, she loved him for the person she had grown to love and befriend. She wanted to be there for him always; to support him no matter what the circumstances were and she could sense that in his own way that Kakashi did too. As a result, when he asked her for a favor the night before, she couldn't refuse.

The young woman had spent her morning at the healers' facility taking care of injured soldiers and battlecasters that had come in earlier that week and her afternoon had been spent making house-calls, to follow up with various patients. One of those patients was Kakashi, who had been gravely wounded in the forests surrounding Koi Village, part of a fief essentially owned by the Senju Dynasty. A comrade of hers, Ichiru, had gone with Lord Namikaze to rescue him and managed to save his life, but the captain had been so beaten and broken. That was when her elder suggested that Kakashi might not survive his wounds. It turned her stomach to see her closest friend like that, but she couldn't let him go so easily.

She immediately began healing him, expending any and all magic she could spare, but careful not to expend her reserves. After several days spent working on him, hardly getting any rest as she laid up in bed at night worrying, she was finally given a sense of relief for him when her beloved had awoke.

The overworked healer was elated when the wolf-shifter had opened his eyes, unable to mask her happiness completely. If there was anything left in her life that she was unwilling to lose, it was Kakashi, even if he made stupid decisions like the one that put him in such a state. Painful as it was, Rin could only think that his wounds were a result of his perpetual death wish.

So just imagine her surprise when she arrived at home after an exhausting day to see the silver-haired man seated at her table, serving himself tea. He did well hiding the discomfort in his being as he lazily sipped at the steaming cup, but Rin knew better. She hadn't been his closest friend for the last sixteen years for nothing.

"Yo," he greeted her after setting the cup down gently. He was seated on the far side of the table on a royal blue cushion, facing the only outside entrance to the room, towards her. He lay casually slumped on his side and reading his lewd, orange novel, but his mask was curiously slid down below his chin, revealing a wry smile. She could see that his old armor, an optimal hybrid of both a caster's cloak and standard leather armor, had been replaced by a naturally black, light leather with a belt of variously sized gray pouches, each with its own use or function. He had matching bracers and leg-guards and a katana attached to the left of his belt. The healer hummed in amusement as it seemed that Kakashi had finally been forced to don a set of armor with a captain's insignia.

She slapped at her cheeks just lightly enough to awaken her from sleep-addled state, darkening her violet clan mark tattoos. Nope. Still here and still wearing the new armor, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to find out why the mysterious captain was here.

"Kakashi, you were supposed to stop breaking in," the dark-haired healer admonished before moving to take her own seat at the table, a cup of tea already poured for her.

Her companion tilted his head as if in confusion. "I didn't break in. Your servants let me inside," he explained. She heard Pakkun huff in response and frowned at Kakashi who seemed offended by the pug familiar who had been concealed beneath the table.

Rin raised her brow at the wolf-shifter. "I don't think I believe you, Kakashi," she said before picking up her own cup and inhaling the warm, relaxing steam. She took a prolonged drink of her tea, maintaining eye contact with the wolf-shifter.

Pakkun yawned and crawled out to seat himself beside her, pressed against her thigh. "You shouldn't. He waited until the servants left to sneak in and serve himself," the familiar told her, earning him a scratch behind the ears. That did sound like a very Kakashi thing to do.

Kakashi looked betrayed. He was stabbed in the back over ear scratches! What type of companionship was that? "I thought you were my familiar, Pakkun," he said dejectedly, watching the dog wag his short brown tail delightedly.

"I am, boss, but I also like Rin's pats the best," the dog stated simply, rolling onto his back with a groan, exposing his soft belly before letting his tongue lull out of his mouth. Kakashi was nothing less than heartbroken.

Rin couldn't help but laugh at the exchange. "Maybe that'll teach you to break into my home," she commented with sass, rubbing the familiar's chubby underside. Kakashi narrowed his eyes at her but disengaged after a moment and sat more appropriately on the cushion, setting his book down beside his teacup. It seemed he was ready for their discuss so she too focused more fully on him, reverting to seriousness.

"What can I do for you, Kakashi?" she queried, curious more than anything. He wasn't the most social person in the village, so she could immediately check off a that as his reason for being here.

Denying her an immediate response, he looked up to the door that had been left open when Rin had entered. Irritably, she sighed in resignation and got up to close it, making his familiar whine before taking back up her seat. Now the room was sealed completely from outside influences and eavesdropping. It was a function they had enchanted the doors with many years ago, when Kakashi had finally acknowledged her friendship and loyalty to him.

At last, Kakashi nodded in satisfaction and all remaining signs of the playfulness he exuded moments before had vanished. Pakkun's too, as familiars tended to mimic strong feelings from their soul-bound owners. "Rin, I've come to ask for a favor," he whispered gravely, his smokey gray eyes pleading her.

"Whatever it is, you will always have my help," she assured truthfully and without hesitation.

Kakashi's lips twitched in an aborted smile, then he reached into his pocket and held out his closed palm. Rin reached out tentatively to grasp the object once he gestured for her to take hold of it. A moment later, he placed a plain, small scroll on her palm, worn with age. It was about the length of her pinky. Rin's doe-like, brown eyes widened in disbelief, prompting Kakashi to calmly take her hand, sobering her. "I need to you to hold onto this for me, just in case," he murmured, closing her fingers around it tenderly. "Please use this if you suspect something has happened to me."

Pakkun also looked up in surprise and jumped up with a whimper, appalled by his owner's actions. "Boss…"

Rin pulled back her hand slowly and opened it to get a closer look at the scroll. It was a soul-bonding scroll, the kind used to bind a specific familiar to a human master. People with familiars didn't hand them out lightly, as a bond between a familiar and their owner was sacred. For Kakashi to hand her something like this exhibited an immense amount of trust akin to a marriage proposal. Very few people had ever shared the bond between themselves and a familiar with another person; the risks were much too great.

"Kakashi," Rin breathed, her heart was pounding in her ears and she could hardly think of the words to say as it deafened her in the tense silence of the room. She gave herself a moment to reflect and regain her composure, swallowing hard and pushing down the bile that rose in her throat. "What have you gotten yourself into?" Her thoughts raced, making her dizzy and her stomach ached. The worst was all that occurred to her at that moment.

Kakashi carefully guarded his expression, remaining eerily silent. Rin was certain that he knew something perilous was to happen to him, but it was quite obvious that he wasn't going to tell her, at least not outright. It was enough to make her angry. It was enough to make her scared. She feared for him and his safety, and most of all, she feared this was the last time she'd see or speak to him again like so many other comrades that had fallen victim to the horrors of war. Only this time, she felt that he wasn't all she'd lose in his absence.

"Is this… is this about your family," she asked quavering, her voice sounding brittle, her heart having stealthily snaked its way onto her sleeves against her will.

Kakashi winced, but his expression didn't change. It took him a moment to regain the gumption to speak once more when he quietly uttered the word, 'no'.

The healer gripped the scroll tightly before sitting up on her knees, reaching across the table, her free hand falling on his, giving it a reassuring squeeze of faith. She swallowed, trying and failing to push her emotions down, but when it came to Kakashi, everything was impossibly more difficult. A hot tear couldn't help but to run down her face, slipping through the cracks of her reserve. "Then please, Kakashi," she implored, her voice finally breaking softly, "tell me what's going on, because whatever it is, I want to be here for you and do whatever a can to help you."

Kakashi had to glance away, his lips pressed in a flat line and his body seemed rigid and tense, more so than before. Guilt. He felt guilty for this and Rin knew then that this was now not something that was entirely her beloved's doing.

"Kakashi." He still didn't answer. She removed her hand and trying to regain her composure she took a few steadying breaths. It helped some, but she still had to turn away and wipe the damning evidence of tears from on her sleeve. A long silence grew between them, making her more uncomfortable than before, making her grip her apron with white knuckles to ground herself, then she whispered, "Then why are you doing this?"

"Rin, please understand," he pleaded, "It's for your safety that I cannot tell you why, but I am not planning on meeting the same end my father met." Rin made to look at the captain's storm-colored eyes, which seemed to roil with hidden emotion. "But I cannot deny my orders. I must protect the village and the Empress." Her heart fell and sympathy rose to the surface in droves for Kakashi's inner conflict.

"I understand," she said solemnly. Orders were orders. She had to look away once more before she sat up yet again and cupped his unusually bare cheek, running her thumb gently and soothingly across it. "I understand," she repeated, not just to reassure him, but to reassure herself and push back the unwelcome emotion she still felt. "We all have our duties and I cannot deny you yours." Saddened and heartbroken, the healer had to pause to come up with the courage to say what she what else she wanted to say; what she needed to say. The seconds that stretched between them seemed like an endless silence as the rest of the world continued to carry on around them, trapping the pair in a single moment that was all too fleeting.

Thousands of things could have been uttered in the moment they shared, yet none of them came forth to her aid. It would only take three simple words to tell him how she felt that had followed them for over a decade. Three words that could say so many things that she had never had the courage to say before."Don't leave me." "I'm lost without you." "I want to be with you always." "I can't lose you." But Rin couldn't grasp a single word, especially not the three that eluded her so, even as they sat at the tip of her tongue. There was only one way left that she could think of to let him know how she felt without words.

Slowly, trembling with both fear and effort to carry on her will, she leaned forward, pressing her lips chastely again his. They were silky soft and warm in comparison to his arctic reserve. She could revel in this moment for the rest of her life and it would still never be long enough to tell him how she felt.

Kakashi's hand gently found hers against his cheek, but his lips did not part for her, telling Rin in return all she needed to know. With the utmost care, he pulled back from the kiss and then it was over. He refused to meet her still-hopeful eyes again and wouldn't spare her a single glance.

"I'm sorry, Rin." It was soft-spoken and quiet - a slight breeze would disguise his words and make them irretrievable, but the meaning was clear. I don't love you . As soon as they were said, her beloved was gone and the dam finally broke, silently spilling the unshed tears she had held for Kakashi's sake more than her own.

Pakkun solemnly sat beside her, his head on her lap to console her in the only way he could. "Cheer up, kid," he said soothingly, huddling against her side. "I'm sure he has his reasons."

She was crying in full now and croaked through her ever-flowing tears. "Pakkun, what will I do if Kakashi dies? He's the only one I have left!" The healer sniffled, her worst fear had, at last, broke through her shield, ripping what was once a crack into a gaping hole in her heart. She wouldn't be able to go on without him in her life. It wasn't possible to.

"I don't know," he whispered, nosing at her hand in another attempt to comfort her. His eyes were watering and tearing up, just as hers were, and she couldn't tell if it was Pakkun, her, or Kakashi that was causing it, so she picked him up and hugged him close to steady herself, hiccuping with the last of her sorrow and dread on her unsteady voice, "Thank you." She wiped her face again, ruining her carefully made face and staining her sleeve before pressing her cheek to the familiar.

The two stayed like that until Rin had finally exhausted her tears and she had at last placed Pakkun back before her. It took a few minutes longer until she was thinking clearly once again and she got up to prepare a parcel for Pakkun to deliver, putting a handful of small pills from a bottle on a far shelf with assorted labeled herbs and medicines on top of. "Here, Pakkun. I want you to take this to Kakashi for me," she requested. She held the package so the familiar could carry it by the tie in his jaws.

"What is it," he asked curiously, sniffing the paper wrappings.

"It's pain medication, to help him carry on his duties tomorrow," she answered and the pug graciously took it, knowing just how much pain his owner was in. He bowed his head in thanks and left, leaving the healer even more alone in the all-too empty house.

At this moment, the talented, young healer, one of the most skilled in her class was seated on a cushion at her tea table, her mug long forgotten with numerous thoughts racing through her mind. Pakkun lay beside her, a comforting presence as she considered what action she'd take.

Throughout many years, she had been standing just behind him, following his lead and supporting him in all that he did; a constant friend and confidant in both the good times and bad. She had no idea what he was planning, but she had an idea of what awaited him and there wasn't any way she would let him go through this all on his own.

She had finally come to a decision.

Rin stood up from her seat with renewed purpose, pushing the grumbling pug away, and began to set preparations for whatever may come their way. Pakkun scrambled along behind her, watching as she packed away clothes and other belongings and both organized and restocked her medical kit.

"He's not going to be happy about this," the familiar grumbled, pouting while observing her carefully.

The healer glanced at him briefly, but continued to concentrate on her work. "I know," she finally stated, finishing the last bag, "but I can't just sit aside and do nothing, Pakkun. I have to help him." She turned her chestnut gaze to the pug at her feet, her eyes set with determination.

Her mind had been made last night as she slept alone in her too-big house, thinking about what her life would be like without the lazy, awkward wolf-shifter, she just hadn't realized it until now and she was resolute in her decision. Pakkun must have sensed what she felt and nodded, just as determined, his tail wagging vigorously with joy.

At least with this, no matter what happened tonight, neither of them would be alone anymore and she could be loyal to Kakashi until the very end.

* * *

Minato waited impatiently in the war council room, surrounded by his peers, vassals one could only assume were loyal to his wife, Kushina. He had an uneasy frown fixed upon his usually mellow and friendly face while the rest of the council discussed the possibility of going to war with the Uchiha now that the prisoner was dead. Of course, he wouldn't be a good leader or husband if he were to allow something like that to happen; he was confident in Kakashi's abilities.

Some the council began arguing loudly about extending protection to certain merchant villages, but he could hardly pay attention until Danzo finally entered the room, a masked ANBU agent on either side, their lack of expression menacing. The conversation died down immediately and the elderly counselor took his place at the table, his subordinates staying at the other end by the wall, regarding Minato and the others carefully. "I see you started without me," he stated dryly, glancing around the room with a single visible eye, sending uneasy shivers down their backs.

Minato grinned half-heartedly and replied, "Our apologies Danzo. We figured you had other business to attend to."

The ANBU benefactor set his gaze on the blond leader, taking in his expression, scanning over every detail for a crack in his exterior; to find a weakness in his armor to worm his way into and exploit. "Indeed, Namikaze," he said simply, finding none. He pressed his gaze on the other vassals and then back to the blond. "We've discovered that the Uchiha prisoner has escaped, or was taken more likely."

There was a shudder through the other vassals and whispering stirred up among them, discussing the new information. Shikaku raised his brow to Inoichi over their leader's head, simply adding to the mood in the room and Minato looked much more troubled than he had before, making the one-eyed counselor smirk victoriously.

"Excuse me, Danzo-san," Inoichi interrupted, "but that simply isn't possible. I've seen the corpse myself. The Uchiha is dead." His expression was blank and stony, letting on nothing that wasn't already known to the deceptive former-spy.

"The corpse," Danzo explained to the rest of the council, "was a body-double. The captured Uchiha still lives and we've tracked him to Captain Hatake, thetraitor's son ." The room erupted into chaos as some were quick to accuse Minato's former students, some accused Danzo of swindling away the Uchiha himself, and Minato was forced to stand and call for order. Order was brought, but the uneasiness and suspicion that had risen to the surface lingered, placing doubt on the minds of the others.

Minato reseated himself. "Shimura-san, you better have a good explanation for accusing an officer loyal to Her Majesty of high treason," he addressed, silently ordering for the man to explain. Kakashi was surely in danger whether he had committed the heinous act or not.

Danzo settled himself, his dark, stony gaze focused only on Minato and his immediate peers, Inoichi and Shikaku. "We believed the corpse was genuinely the Uchiha's as well, but upon examining the body, we discovered the truth. The man had been placed there by Hatake sometime yesterday before the ANBU had arrived to take over the prisoner's care."

Minato did well to hide a look of surprise behind his mask, not allowing his thoughts to slip free. He had figured that Danzo had a Yamananka subordinate, but now he was certain. No one else could pick the brains of the living, especially when things had been thought out so carefully and intricately. His subordinates seemed to be thinking the same thing but were equally unperturbed by the announcement.

The blond pouted and locked stares with Danzo, both sets of eyes equally frigid and cold. "If that's the case, why haven't you arrested Captain Hatake," he inquired coolly, succeeding in not breaking or bending to Danzo's will.

The ANBU benefactor hummed in amusement. "I simply wished to inform you that your most loyal subordinate committed such a heinous act before we have him arrested and put to death," he informed the other man, in an attempt to go toe-to-toe with him. This was a dangerous game to play, especially between the two most powerful men in the state and it was obvious Danzo was trying to get the council to discredit Captain Hatake and in turn both Minato and the Empress. If he was able to do that then he would quicken the downfall of the Senju dynasty and secure an ascension to the throne with a show of his power.

"Then why do you waste our time and yours toiling away here, Shimura? Hatake could be well on his way to siding and supporting our enemies," the queen's loyal consort demanded fiercely, his eyes glinting, alight with fire in an unspoken challenge to the counselor. "A breach in our security like this shall not be tolerated and regardless of the perpetrator's stance and position, cannot go unpunished. So detain him if you can, or kill him if you cannot, but do not tally here any longer doing nothing!" The hushed whispers had been stifled by the declaration. Now, Kakashi was officially a traitor to the crown.

Danzo stood from his seat and abruptly bowed low to him, apologizing for his insults. "If that's all, then it shall be done. The Hatake won't be allowed to escape the village, Namikaze-sama," Danzo replied, his earlier smirk wiped away and replaced with a scowl that twitched with irritation. The man excused himself and left the room, his ANBU subordinates on his tail.

With nothing less than a sigh of relief, Minato adjourned the council meeting only a few minutes later after it was confirmed nothing else would be accomplished with the meeting, but at least he had gotten what he wanted. Danzo had fallen for the ploy, even if it was a little soon, Minato knew Kakashi could manage. Why else would he entrust him with this mission?

* * *

After an exhausting conversation with Jiraiya, having to keep the perverse old man on track throughout most of their conversation, Kakashi was finally headed home, and if something felt off, he pretended no to show it. The ANBU were following him from the shadows, watching him. The captain grinned wryly behind his mask. It was a little soon for Danzo to have found out, but then again, he already knew that there was a possibility of a Yamanaka on the council member's payroll. Despite that, everything was going according to plan.

Once he arrived home, he made himself some tea and seated himself at the table, patiently waiting for the ANBU to strike.


	7. Entering the Dragon's Lair

The moon had risen in the sky like a silver smile, enveloping the village in just enough light to see by. Teams of ANBU split into squadrons and stealthily crept across the rooftops and through the streets to congregate at the home of one 'Imperial Captain Kakashi Hatake' formerly of the great Hatake clan. The object was to subdue the man and force him to give up the location of the Uchiha prisoner, but every single one of them was told to kill him. They must kill Captain Hatake to protect the integrity of the village.

All the while, the captain's home was quiet and tranquil. Not a sound rose as the vigilant wolf-shifter sat at his tea table, waiting for them to arrive. He knew they were coming, keen to spill his blood and take back the prisoner, kickstarting the war that always seemed to be on the horizon.

The room he chose for this showdown was rather large with a few pieces of choice furniture: the tea-table embraced on either side by a muted yellow cushion that matched the interior and the tatami mats, a few paintings and maps adorned the walls, a long pole for propping windows or doors open lie on the floor by the door, and there was a row of bookcases to the far left corner, close to the door. Dust formed a thin sheet over many of the reference books but was completely non-existent on the top and sides of the shelf, as well as a few more frisky novels that lined the shelves, his favorites.

The brave warrior sighed with a heavy heart. He wouldn't miss this house, but he would miss so many other things. Things he'd never get the opportunity to see or experience. Regret stained most of his life and it was just as well that it stained the end of it too. Kakashi would never get to see his adopted parents' son grow into an equally bright and sunny young man, like Minato-sensei or get to lazily read romance novels with Pakkun resting on his chest, nuzzling up to him while Rin sat by his side, telling him about her day. Competitions with Guy would no longer be relevant. Bantering with his most trusted and favored subordinates would no longer happen. The wolf-shifter would be just as alone as he was when he started.

Just like he was when his father took his life.

His thoughts ran through treasured, golden memories and his heart ached at what could be or what would have been, but war was an awful business and his enemies were in the trade of creating it. The cries and misery of the people were their paints, their subordinates their brushes, and the resulting carnage was their masterpiece. He had no other choice but to abandon what he had here to carry out his mission of peace.

The wolf-shifter's nose twitched as he caught a scent on the breeze, floating through an open window. They were here.

A pair of ANBU foot soldiers quietly opened the door into Kakashi's common room and took a quick glance of their surroundings before creeping towards the sitting figure. They didn't dare take a single breath and slid their shortswords from soundless scabbards. Propping the butt of the hilt in their hands, they raised their twin blades high and stabbed the captain fiercely and without mercy. The force of the attack was so great that the tips of their katanas pierced the tatami mat beneath the victim who continued to sit wordlessly with a long-forgotten teacup before them. Kakashi was dead.

An instant later, red liquid sprayed from the captain's wounds, sticking to the surprised assassins, coating their armor, the clothes, the floor, the table - nothing within the five meters around the corpse was safe from the spray. By the time it stopped, they were entirely drenched in shining, crimson fluid.

"What the hell was that," the man on the left yelped, looking to the corpse who remained pinned to the floor, unable to answer their question but without a slump in its stance. It was quite suspicious.

The second ANBU looked at their soaked clothes, sniffing at the strange substance before their eyes widening behind the mask as they came to the realization of what the mysterious fluid was. His hand shot out to stop his partner, "Wait! Don't touch tha-"

But he couldn't finish what he meant to say as the left ANBU pulled the corpse back from the table, revealing a scarecrow's face on a dummy of the captain wearing his official armor. They had been had.

A click resounded through the dummy and the liquid ignited setting everything ablaze. Infernal, fierce flames swallowed the ANBU, making them writhe and scream in pain as their skin and clothes charred. Patting the flames out did nothing to kill the fire, even the cold tea sitting on the table was lit with hellish delight. Undying flames that refused to be quenched were now dancing through the captain's house, but no one noticed the door slowly slide shut just moments before.

The ANBU waiting outside could not see the flames or hear the screams with the obstruction barring their comrades from sight. Two more teams were sent into the house and opened the tea room door with their swords ready, rushing in as the flames ate at everything on the far side of the room. They looked around to spot the captain when a bookcase flew out from the corner, stunning two of them. An instant later a sword pierced through it into the chest of one of the two masked assassins, toppling the body onto the other, pinning them beneath the furniture. Another sword another clashed in a rain of sparks with the blade of one of the remaining ANBU who had managed to spot the oncoming blade in the chaos. It was the captain, in only his arm and leg guards, his inky gaze filled with a rage as angry and scorching as the flames that licked at the house's foundations.

"It's him! It's Hatake!" the one locking swords with him grunted, prompting his partner to turn and slash at the wolf-shifter, barely nicking his uniform, easily slicing the fabric.

The captain removed his sword from the bookcase and blocked the next blow from the pair of assassins with both swords, holding fast before jumping back and letting his hands glow with magic.

"Falcon! Get up, he's about to cast," one of the men, Hawk snarled, his menacing mask likely matching the expression it concealed. Without another moment's hesitation, Hawk began casting a spell to counter his opponent's and a hot gust of air burst forth, heading towards the captain who dove out of the way, sliding across the floor on his belly. The flames rose up, leaping up Hawk's body and swallowing the other that lay screaming on the floor under the heavy weight of both their partner and the bookcase. The third ANBU, however, managed to evade the flames by leaping towards the wall when Hawk launched his attack.

After the stream of flame dissipated, the wolf-shifter uncovered his face that he had hid behind his arm guard, shielding him from the reckless onslaught. "Too eager," Kakashi stated his glare hard. He had set down the sword when he went down and threw a knife from the holster on his arm at the ANBU as they tried to recover, making them slump to the floor, dead. His aim had carried on straight and true into their barely exposed throat, spraying blood across the walls and floor in an arch as the body fell. It was a lucky thing that it hit an artery rather than the edge of the assassin's mask, but tonight Kakashi would need every little miracle he could get.

The paper and wood-paneled doors were in shambles after that last burst from the ANBU and Hawk ran screaming through them, setting the rest of the house ablaze in every step before passing out from the pain upon reaching the outside door, his body a melted, fused combination of searing skin and boiling blood sticking to melted armor and burning cloth. The smell was awful, nauseating and foul with death as black smoke billowed into the sky. This was the dragon's lair and the beast within wanted them all to know it.

* * *

Danzo stood a few blocks away with several ANBU on standby, watching it all erupt into flames of chaos. "Tell them to send the rest of Squad A and B. Overwhelm the traitor by numbers," he quietly commanded the ANBU Captain, a young man with brown hair and a mask like a cat's with red crescents around the eyes. The ANBU hesitated for a moment, forcing the councilman to look at the shorter man and raise a bushy eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

The cat-masked ANBU shook his head. "No sir. I'll carry out the order." Then the young man took off, leaving the councilman to smirk. Kakashi was as good as dead with so many ANBU surrounding his home. How lucky could he be? He had backed himself into a corner and his house was on fire. There was no escape, the Uchiha was as good as his, and soon, the throne and unlimited money and power would be as well.

* * *

Obito paced back and forth in his confinements. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

He glanced at the door once more. He couldn't see the outside, but he couldn't hear the Hatake or the snake outside anymore. However beneficial it would be to his escape, he couldn't get over the fact that this was very wrong. He felt blind here with all these seals and marks either muting or blocking his magic. It was a foreign and uncomfortable change for him.

For a moment, his glowing, vermillion eyes flicked to the door and he focused every ounce of magic he had stored until now into them, hoping to get a glimpse of what lay ahead.

A masked man - an enormous ANBU - was heading down the tunnels, racing as fast as his feet could carry him as he spread out his senses to detect him in his cage. The ANBU was looking for him and Obito could feel the killing intent behind it even through the vision. After a long trek down twisting and turning tunnels, he stopped in front of the door and the Uchiha could feel the malicious grin hidden behind the belying smiling mask. Without hesitating for an instance, the assassin threw open the door and stepped inside. Obito saw an image of himself struggling to get away and fighting viciously, swinging his bindings from side to side, hissing and snarling like a cornered cat, but it was to no avail. The ANBU went up to him and skewered him on his blade, red pooling onto the clothes the Uchiha had been issued. Pain and anger showed vibrantly on the phantom version of himself as the ANBU grabbed a tight hold in his raven hair and looked into his face in a way that seemed nothing less than pleased. The man then tore the sword out of his gut, stabbing him once more. The Uchiha could tell he had said something cruel from the response on his phantoms face even without being able to see the man's face. His phantom corpse began to slouch downwards and without skipping a beat, the ANBU ripped the sword out once more before putting it against his pale, unprotected throat and beginning to saw off his head.

Obito came back to himself with a gasp, choking as he could practically feel the cold blade pierce his flesh and begin the process of beheading him. Not wanting to meet such a violent and morbid end, he didn't have time to waste catching his breath.

The Uchiha began trying to figure a way out of the cell, but first, the wristlocks. He saw the wall where the stone stuck out and bent, leaving a strange ledge and hurried over to it. Oh, this was going to hurt. Badly , he might add.

The desperate prisoner smashed the wristlocks on the ledge as hard as he could, the sound of struck metal ringing out through the tunnel and screaming in his ears. He recoiled from the force and the immediate soreness in his wrists, but he had to keep going. He didn't want to die and he couldn't muster up enough magic anymore to escape on his own now that he had taken a glimpse into the future. So much for killing Hatake or the Empress. He'd have to save that task for later, just like he regrettably should have done with the magic he had accrued.

Over and over he struck the cuffs on the ledge until he had to bite back tears and muffle a cry. Only children cried. Men, especially Uchiha men, did not. But finally, he had broken his wrist enough to slide it out of the lock. He wiggled and writhed trying to get out of the device, but he couldn't.

" Fuck! " he screamed, swearing from the swirl of emotions that he was choking back. His wrist hurt like hell and he needed to escape to avoid certain death. Why couldn't the gods let up for once and give him some luck?

Then his eyes landed on something peculiar. He had cut his wrist lightly on the jagged metal of the wristlocks, warped by the strikes he had made on the stone. It slowly oozed into the cuffs and made moving his hands inside just barely easier. That was it! Thank the gods.

He took a breath to steel himself and keep from crying out in pain, sighing and shaking his head. Here goes nothing. Without further hesitation, he bit hard into his wrist, opening a deeper gash and pouring more blood into the mechanism. After several tries of twisting and straining against the pain and the hold of the cuffs, he slipped his broken wrist out and then the other. He took a breath of relief as his hands enjoyed the cool air of freedom, but he wasn't safe yet. He could hear the man approach the corridor. Quickly, Obito shot up from the floor and hid in the shadows, closing his eyes so as to not give himself away, dragging the chain with him in a dull clatter of sound and coiling it once on his undamaged hand, forming a lasso.

The cell door flew opening and a chuckling ANBU sauntered into the room. "Oh little Uchiha," he mocked, glancing about the dark room in amusement, "where have you hid from me?"

Obito waited patiently, not daring to open his eyes and reveal their crimson glow. This man had a sword and he only had a few meters of heavy chain. The Uchiha used his other senses to make up for his lack of eyes, picking up the man's scent, just like he would have all that time ago.

For a few moments, he was a small boy again, crying out and pleading to the sliver of light above as he became trapped in darkness, told that an Uchiha doesn't need to see until he reaches his awakening. The darkness would bring on a change in a man and mold him, giving him deadly, blood-red eyes to see once more. He couldn't remember the details or how many days had gone by in that hellhole, but he could remember starving and crawling on the dirt floor, his hands sliding across every surface while searching for even a scrap of food during the many days he was down there, eventually learning to use his sense of smell and inhuman hearing to search out prey like all the other creatures that lurked in the dark.

He came back to his senses and felt the man standing right in front of him, unable to see him. Obito used the chain and swung hard at his sword-wielding right hand before grabbing him, knocking the sword away. The assassin fought back, struggling and using his brute strength in an attempt to claw and hit the Uchiha, but the prisoner was much more desperate in this battle of life or death, his injuries be damned. They fell to the floor in their scuffle and Obito gripped the chain tight, fighting away the man's hands to wrap it around his throat twice, yanking as hard as he could until it hurt, keeping the chain held with his forearm, his hand wrapped tightly in the rest as he choked the life out of the man. The Uchiha managed to seat himself on the man's back, holding the enormous man down the best that he could. It wasn't typical for Obito to face someone taller than him but the thought only made him more desperate to come out on top in this battle. He felt blessed to have been born with the muscular physique and gifts of his clan that gave him an edge over his opponent.

The ANBU gagged and reached out for anything he could get his hands on, clawing at the floor and Obito's legs that held him pinned to the floor. The ANBU lifted himself up, trying to shake Obito off, but the Uchiha tightened his the grip with his thighs and gritted his teeth, holding the two sections of chain in his bruising grip. Obito ignored the pain the assassin inflicted the best he could, keeping his fierce eyes on him, pleading once more in his mind for a quick end to this man's life as the sounds of the gasping man continued. The man began growing more desperate, ripping and clawing at the chain until his fingernails ripped and bleed, knocking his mask away and scratching at his own flesh until finally he went limp. He could see his face turning shades of bright red and violet without breath and eyes just beginning to bulge from their sockets, bloodshot and wide open. The victorious Uchiha still couldn't have him recovering and continued to hold the chain tight for several minutes until he was sure the man was dead.

Obito fell off the man's back and lay on the floor breathing hard, his arms and thighs bloody with claw-marks and bruised from the fight. His head was hurting from the terror that had caused him to tremble for the past several minutes and his body aching, his broken wrist protesting heavily now that adrenaline wasn't pulsing through the Uchiha's veins. He'd have to leave soon, just in case.

* * *

The foundations of Kakashi's house had finally fallen in, the entire structure completely engulfed in the whirling inferno, threatening to spread to other homes. The remainder of the two ANBU squads had gone in to storm the building and were immediately trapped when the captain activated the runes lining the inside of the home's walls, bringing the building down on every agent inside. Kakashi was indeed the winner of that battle, but he had surely been trapped under the debris as well, suffocating from the smoke and waiting to be found by Danzo's men and put to a swift death for his treachery? No. He had not fallen when the others had.

Kakashi had expected Danzo to come and send his men to take him out. He had known from the moment he was handed the blue-sealed scroll from Minato that this was the mission to end his career and quite possibly his life. But it wouldn't be in vain and the captain was willing to make sure that the enemy he was facing would not get their way.

When the ANBU had come barreling through the room, aiming to attack him, he had used his magic to escape, right after striking the painting on the back wall of a golden fox, tossing a knife to activate the collapse after dispatching the last one. The clever wolf-shifter had managed to drop down into the tunnels below by switching with the bag of rice he had placed down there that morning when cleaning his pantry. Once he was there, he sheathed his katanas and picked up a travel bag, sliding it between his shoulders. The worn-out captain was immediately grateful for Rin and the medication she had sent him once more, his body just now starting to feel the fatigue of his last fight, but there was still a long way to go between him, the Uchiha, and then to freedom past the mountain range into the Uchiha state.

Struggling to his feet as the pain in his ankle flared up, the captain began padding down the halls to the Uchiha's cell to retrieve him. While he trekked his way there, he reached into a pouch on his waist and took out two pills, quickly sliding them in his mouth beneath his mask and swallowing them dry. They'd dissolve in a few minutes, but in the meantime he jogged down the hall, taking care to remain vigilant. Around any corner could be an ANBU searching for him or his charge.

Kakashi made his way down several twists and turns until he came to a hallway splattered with blood and decorated with severed limbs and corpses. Branches grew from the walls inward, trapping the corpses in an inescapable cage and the captain's stomach dropped. Wood magic; only one person could do that. The wooden pillars began to recede and revealed a young man in a cat mask, with red crescents around the eyes staring right at him, an unsheathed sword in his grip as he wiped it down with a small cloth.

"Senpai," the young man greeted, sheathing the regulation shortsword in a holster on his back. He nodded in a slight respectful bow.

"Yamato," the surprised wolf-shifter answered in surprise, prompting the ANBU to remove his mask. This was exactly why he hadn't told him what he was hiding this morning. He trusted the lieutenant, but he was sadly, still under Danzo's jurisdiction. The captain tensed up and corrected his stance ready to fight if he had to.

"Danzo sent them down here to exterminate the Uchiha. Some of them fled before I could capture them all and there may still be one or two looking for him. Be careful down here, Taichou. I'll look out for any more of them," the lieutenant said in the sincerest of ways. He took a long pleading look at the other man, in askance for him to stay safe without him by his side and without another word, he flipped his mask securely on his face and trotted off in the opposite direction into the labyrinth of tunnels.

Kakashi let his shoulders down and gave a sigh of relief. He didn't expect that at all and furthermore, he supposed he shouldn't have given the younger man so much trouble on a daily basis. He should have listened to Pakkun and told his junior beforehand, in fact, there seemed to be a lot of things he was regretting, but he'd have to save it for later. Right now, it was pertinent that he snatch Obito and get him out before the ANBU got to him first.

After several minutes of running down one corridor after another, he spotted the cell, but the door was flung wide open. Kakashi braced for the worst and unsheathed his sword, holding it at the ready as he crept to the door. He peeked his head around and a poorly-handled sword bit into the wall by his head, slicing through some of his wiry, silver hair and it was accompanied by a lot of grunting and growling as his adversary tried to remove the razor sharp blade from the wall. It was the Uchiha.

The captain stepped back, out of the way of the Uchiha's next reckless swing. The raven-haired prisoner raced into the hallway and slashed the blade at Kakashi, missing entirely as the wolf-shifter dodged, pulling himself back as the raging Uchiha swung. Before he could gear up to attack once more, Kakashi grabbed the Uchiha's hands, making him cry out and snatched the sword away, throwing it down the hall. The Uchiha snarled and made an attempt to kick at his shins with his bare feet, but the idea was quickly thrown out the window as Kakashi deftly twisted one of his arms behind his back and pinned him against the wall, grasping his other arm.

"Don't touch me! Let go of me, you filthy mutt! I'll kill you! I'll rip you apart," the other man snarled, flailing against the wall to wrench himself from the captain's grasp. He was kicking out at him and throwing his head back, trying to catch his face in a headbutt. His behavior suggested he was injured, lashing out like a wounded tiger or a badger recklessly standing his ground in the face of a more powerful enemy, but Kakashi was unfazed.

Kakashi ignored the Uchiha's curses and struggling, peeking into the room to see the asphyxiated ANBU. The man was a giant among men with a chain wrapped tightly around his throat. He raised an eyebrow in pleasant surprise, noting that the Uchiha somehow managed to slip out quick enough to kill such a beast. With the bindings that had been placed on him, it was certainly no easy feat. Kakashi was immediately grateful for the sealing rune he had attached to the Uchiha the day before, otherwise, he himself might not have been so lucky and in the same position as the gasping corpse.

"I said don't touch ," the Uchiha grunted as he slammed the back of his head into Kakashi's unprotected cheek, making his teeth clack together. He smirked triumphantly, until Kakashi slammed him into the wall, forcing his weight against him, his forearm pressed to the small of his neck and his sword barely an inch from the man's face, catching his fogging breath.

"Shut up!" he growled back, baring fangs behind his black cloth mask, eyes like daggers on the Uchiha now. "Now, you and I, we're going to have a friendly chat, understand?"

Obito said nothing and remained resolute, grimacing but saying nothing in response. Kakashi was prompted to place more pressure on him until the Uchiha grunted, "Fine! Fine! I get it!"

"Excellent!" the captain chirped, loosening his grip some. "Right now, there are over three-hundred ANBU, maybe two-hundred-fifty, give or take, searching for us; to kill us obviously. So I'll give you a choice: do you want to stay here and die or do you want to come with me and get back to your clan?"

The silence between them as he waited for Obito's answer was tense. The Uchiha was reluctant to answer as it was as good as defeat but finally he folded and through grit teeth hissed, "I'll come with you."

"Great!" Kakashi grinned, his sardonic smile reaching his eyes. Immediately he released the Uchiha and pulled back his sword to let the man relax some and slump down to recover from the blow he had given him. The captain allowed him to catch his breath for a moment before pulling around his bag and taking a set of clothes out, tossing them to the Uchiha who only barely caught them. "Put these on," he ordered calmly, his eyes pressing him for haste.

The Uchiha quirked a thin, dark brow at him and looked the clothes over. "What the hell is this, Hatake?" he grumbled holding the shirt out in front of him with the pants tucked in his other arm, which was covered in a fair share of drying blood.

"Your new clothes. Change. Now ."

"What if I don't want to?" the Uchiha challenged him.

"Then the ANBU will track you down with them and we'll both be dead," Kakashi answered flatly.

"All of that over a cheap kimono and pants? I hardly see why," he scoffed at him, chiseling away at Kakashi's patience.

"The inside of those are lined with seals and runes that give the outfit a tracking effect. The ANBU would find us in less than a day. Now get a move on," the captain explained, barking out orders once more.

Obito glared at him but began disrobing, pulling off the top of the samue, dropping the clothes on the floor. Kakashi rolled his eyes back. Some tact would be nice. When he pulled the top off and began to pull down his trousers he looked up and met Kakashi's smokey eyes on him hesitating, his face dusted with pink spreading all the way to his ears. "Are you just going to stand there and stare at me the whole time, dog ," he queried rudely, one of his thumbs still tucked in the waistband.

"Yes," Kakashi confirmed, unblinking. It wouldn't do to have the prisoner escape now or stab him in the back for showing an ounce of modesty.

"Turn your back," the Uchiha ordered pointing at him huffily, the pink of his cheeks began to spread down his throat and bare, muscular chest. It was almost endearing - or dare he think it, cute - if Obito himself wasn't so vile and cantankerous.

Kakashi stood resolute without any attempt to move from his position. "Get your clothes on," he commanded once more, looking irritated in a way only he could with his eyes glazed over and threatening to roll back into his skull.

" Fine !" Obito snapped, finally succumbing to what was necessary and turning his back on the captain. "But first chance I get, I'm telling everyone that you're a pervert," he huffed and it made Kakashi's lips twitch humorously.

As he watched the prisoner get dressed, he noticed just how extensive the burns on his right side were. He bore countless other scars as well, but not quite as alarming, no doubt earned in his line of work as a warrior, not unlike Kakashi's own hide. But the burns, however, stretched down most of the right side of his well-shaped body, ending just below the pantsline and picking back up on the upper part of his thigh. To think what had caused it or when he'd gotten scorched in such a way turned the veteran captain's stomach and he knew it was more than certainly intentional. Perhaps the Uchiha had been a child soldier like himself and Rin, or maybe it had something to do with the disgrace so clearly marked on his hardened face? However it happened, Kakashi wasn't sure he wanted to hear the tale but it intrigued him nonetheless.

Obito began putting on the fresh trousers and the wolf-shifter had to raise an eyebrow at him. "Those too, Obito," he stated, referring to the undergarments.

"Are you fucking kidding me," the Uchiha grumbled under his breath. "Well I hope you're getting an eyeful and that it's everything you dreamed of! " he shot at his jailer sarcastically before slipping off the undergarment and turning half back to toss at the other man, missing making the article land about a foot in front of the silver-haired soldier. "Also, don't call me that!"

Kakashi smirked in amusement and watched the garment sail torward him before focusing back on the prisoner. It was nice to banter with someone after what had happened in the past few hours; it was almost therapeutic. And if Kakashi caught himself staring at the Uchiha's perfectly formed bottom he wasn't going to admit to it.

Once the Uchiha finally slipped on his pants and muttered his sentiments about "pervert Hatake", the two were ready to go. Kakashi reached into a separate pouch and revealed a pair of standard handcuffs slapping them onto the Uchiha and grinning mischievously. Obito narrowed his eyes at him and curled back his lip in disgust, not impressed at what the wolf-shifter's antics, but after a brief exchange and some biting retorts, the pair were well on their way through the tunnels, heading to the exit point.

* * *

Rin Nohara was ready to come to Kakashi's aid. She slung a tawny brown traveling cloak over her shoulder and settled a good-sized pack full of necessities over the top of it. Her long, walnut hair had been tied up in a high-bun to keep it out of her eyes and her face was set in hardened determination. She was ready to fight; to keep her beloved safe, either from his enemies or from himself.

Pakkun looked her over and headed to the door, plopping down beside it. "Ready, Rin?" he asked calmly, despite his body thrumming with nervousness and the need to locate his owner.

The battle-ready healer nodded. "Yes, let's get going," she affirmed, fire set in her chestnut eyes giving the young woman a fearsome gaze. She may have been on the battlefield to stave off death and bring back hope and life to the wounded, but she damn sure knew how to extinguish it all the same.

The pair left the house and the pug turned his nose up to the sky. "That's not good," he murmured, taking in ominous scents that were drifting on the evening breeze.

"What's wrong, Pakkun?" she queried, frowning at the familiar as unease settled on her shoulders.

"Smoke. Lots of it; and blood too. I think the boss started without us," the pug answered raising his wrinkled face towards the area of his owner's home, prompting the young woman to look towards the plume of fire and smoke rising into the sky in an all-consuming inferno.

"We better hurry then before someone sees us," Rin said, ushering the familiar onwards.

The pair hid in an alleyway and the pug sat still for a long moment, using his soul bound magic to detect his owner, his eyes closed and his wrinkled face scrunched up in concentration. Rin's frown deepened stressfully as she waited for the familiar to locate her beloved until Pakkun finally exhaled deeply and became alert once more, looking to his human companion.

"Got him?"

"Yeah. And thankfully he's not at the house," he assured her, allowing Rin to take a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing at the news. "But we ain't out of the clear yet," he added. "He's hurtin' and a bit beat up."

"Fair enough. Did you pick up on where he is or where he's heading?" she asked, imploring him to help her find her beloved in time. There had to be at least half the ANBU on him by now for arson alone. Paper and wood don't mix very well with fire, especially in a place where everyone was packed in a tight community like sardines in a can.

"Yeah," he tapped the ground with his paw in show. "But get ready, kid. We got company," he murmured, announcing the eavesdroppers calmly.

Immediately, a four-man cell of ANBU soldiers were on them, their blank, expressionless masks belying their killing intent in a daunting fashion. Their weapons weren't drawn, but Rin knew this would end in bloodshed. She was aligned with Kakashi, and they were not. It didn't take much to figure it out.

"Ma'am," one of the ANBU, a woman who was slender and lithe addressed her, "we're going to have to ask you to head back to your home." They all looked tense and ready to fight and Pakkun made to hide behind her leg. He wouldn't be much help in a fight, but he'd give her some edge over them with what small amount of magic the pug could use.

Rin tilted her head slightly, baffled and smiling nervously. "Ah! I'm so sorry, but I have an errand to run and I cou-"

"I won't ask twice," the woman insisted, her voice dark and threatening. Her companions made a move for their swords, hands resting on the hilts.

The young healer gave the woman a thin smile and tightened her own stance. "I'll just have to make my way through you then," she stated releasing a cloud of aquamarine light, giving her a miasma of glistening, persuasive magic, startling the ANBU. Her hand went to her wakizashi, the tiny, arm-length blade glinting in the light of the moonlight.

Before her opponents could all draw their swords and attack, her companion leapt from the ground like a coiled spring, sinking his teeth into the arm of a male ANBU in the back, drawing blood and making him cry out in surprise. He fought to tear the dog off and in seconds, the others were onto the woman with wrathful intent.

Rin, thankfully, had never been very tall and used her height to her advantage, ducking under a blade and punching the other woman in the stomach, sending her back and inflicting her with terror. The magical miasma took hold of the woman and made her tremble, frozen in fear and prone on the ground. The healer was pleased with that result - it meant she wouldn't be forced to kill all of them if she could disable them with her charm.

The two free ANBU came at her, poised to attack, their shoulders stiff as they considered the best way to handle her while avoiding her touch. Rin smirked, her lips held in a sly smile as she held her one-handed blade up, her other hand beginning to glow with magic as she muttered a spell under her breath, focused on her enemy.

Unexpectedly, a man ran up behind her, sword raised high to come down on her with force to slice her from head to quickly and twisting in place, she raised her dagger-sized blade to block the hit, pushing her down while the other two ANBU ran at her, forgetting themselves, but the healer was ready. Her glowing hand flared up as she glanced back at the pair and formed a long pale green vane, slashing the two in the middle as it extended outwards, disemboweling them through their armor and stopping them in their tracks. One of them disappeared from existence - a copy - and the other's armor was stained with red as the he fell to the ground, painting it with red, their armor unscathed. Quickly, she yanked her hand back to support the back of her blade, to keep the larger, more powerful opponent from crushing her. She had to think of something fast.

While Rin fought for her life, Pakkun was doing the same. The man he was fighting had smacked him away, sending him flying and freeing himself to unsheathe his sword. He was more than fed up with the small dog, slashing at him while the familiar tactfully dodged. With grand haste, the tiny creature bounced around him and leaped from wall to wall until finally, he had an opening, slamming into the guy and knocking him down on the ground in a heavy, magic-enhanced jump, his tiny paws glowing with his own form of magic. Summoning upon his spells once more, the small dog summoned hound-shaped heads to latch onto the man's body, pinning him to the ground.

Pleased with his work, the familiar dashed back over to Rin in an effort to save her. "Hang on! I'm coming, kid!" he called, panting but determined to aid in the way he was bound. However, the female ANBU recovered and kicked the pug out of the way, throwing him into the wall with a high-pitched whimper and stunning him.

"Pakkun!" Rin cried, unable to believe her eyes. Who could hurt such a tiny creature? Kakashi definitely wouldn't stand for that and neither would she!

She mentally ran through a list of spells she had prepared beforehand and all she had ready to attack with that'd affect the ANBU and came up with one she'd been neglecting to use. Kakashi had taught her a few spells and techniques when they trained together but she was reluctant to use it. Although she was able to handle such a spell, it'd leave her drained of magic for a while since it was outside of her affinity. But the cost would be worth it to leave this place unscathed, her arms beginning to grow tired from keeping herself from meeting the towering man's blade.

Her hands glowed violet, a large contrast to her own magic and within her chestnut eyes were two raging storms ready to strike down her opponent. In a brilliant, illuminating blast, lightning coming down in god-like wrath upon the unsuspecting ANBU, barely missing the capable woman as she rolled away. The force of the strike was tremendous and clouds began gathering together in the previously clear sky, bringing down a torrent of rain. The female ANBU who could only watch on in horror hopped hastily to her feet and ran as fast as she could, reluctant to face the same fate at the rest of her team.

Rin huffed as she watched her retreating back. If she had attacked her, she'd be useless to defend herself if the woman used magic, especially if she called back up to face her, but she seemed to still be afflicted with terror and cowardice. It was for the best and allowed the healer to rest easy for a few moment to catch her breath.

The dark-haired woman crouched down beside the familiar, sheathing her dagger-like blade to look him over. "Pakkun, are you okay," she asked, gently stroking the dampening fur.

The dog groaned and slowly stood, a limp in one of his paws. "I'll live," he grumbled before licking the sore paw to soothe it.

The young woman took a sigh of relief and scratched him behind one of his ears, receiving a happy groan from the dog. "You did a great job," she praised him, making him scoff.

"Not as great as I could do, but you ready to go after the boss, kid?"

The last ANBU, the one that Pakkun had fought piped in angrily, "You're with the captain? He's a traitor, you know? He's working for the Uchiha! He's going to die - all of you are going to die!"

Rin turned to face him, unsheathing her sword once again and heading over to the man, pressing the sharp edge over his jugular. "What about an Uchiha?" she asked, darkly, glaring at the captive man, her gentle demeanor melting away to reveal the darkness that lay within.

"Not just any Uchiha; the Uchiha. The man in the mask that Lord Namikaze captured; the captain is working for him and is going to flee the city with him. We were ordered to kill him and any who stand with him. You're going to die, woman," he explained slowly unafraid of her or her blade.

"You're not a very good serviceman if you give up your secrets and mission so easily," the young man stated and pressed the sword minisculely closer, drawing a thin line of blood. "Why should I believe you? Kakashi has always been loyal to the Empress and the village."

"Because…" the man hesitated, taking a careful breath before continuing and whispering, "rumor has it the Uchiha will bring about the end of times. He's the child of prophecy."

Rin raised her eyebrow and fisted a handful of the man's hair. "What do you? How do you know he's the child of prophecy?" she queried, cautiously demanding answers, but the man's head slumped down, dead. She let the man's head lull against his chest and sighed heavily. "He must have had a false tooth and taken his own life."

Pakkun nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I don't like the sound of that though," he looked troubled like he was thinking far off, dark thoughts before shaking them away.

"I agree. It's awfully suspicious, but we can't waste much more time. There'll be more of them and Kakashi's in danger," the healer stated, crouching down next to the familiar. "Ready, Pakkun?"

"Yeah. Let's get out of here," the familiar agreed and they fell easily through the earth, descending into the tunnels.

As they sunk down through the earth, Rin couldn't help but let the thought that seemed to plague her mind have its reign once more; Kakashi was in danger, more than the captain himself even knew.

* * *

Kakashi and Obito ran through the labyrinthian corridors when the raven-haired man stopped dead in his tracks, his brow creased and his expression went from determined to troubled, his body tensing like prey ready to flee. The captain turned to face him, irritated as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on the alert.

"What is it? We need to keep moving," the silver-haired man ordered quietly, his voice low as not to carry too far. His wolf-like persona growing impatient and weary, unwilling to stay put, but the man stood his ground, waiting for the Uchiha.

"Something's coming," the Uchiha replied ominously and as soon as he spoke, something long and scaly wrapped around his leg, quickly dragging him around the corner swearing.

Startled, Kakashi raced after it, his sword drawn to fight and angry at himself for not the presence so close to them, because standing tall with scales glinting in iridescent rainbows over black was an enormous serpent with yellow eyes. Hundreds of smaller, less impressive snakes nested around it, crawling over the body of a fallen ANBU. "Anko."

The serpent had her tail coiled tightly around the struggling Uchiha when she turned her unsettling gaze on the wolf-shifter. "Kakashi," she hissed venomously, "I would never have suspected you of betraying us all with this filth."

"Who are you calling filth?" Obito bit out in retort, causing the snake-shifter to tighten her coils around him making him cry out in pain. He squirmed and tore into his lip, drawing blood as his damaged wrist became further compacted against him.

"I never would have suspected I'd run into you," Kakashi returned, his knuckles turning white as he grasped his sword tighter. He was rather hoping he wouldn't run into her, considering her prejudices towards traitors. Their chance of escaping was dropping alarmingly fast.

The serpent gave a mirthless chuckle and scowled at the silver-haired captain. "You can't hide your plot from me, Kakashi and I won't make the same mistake twice! Neither of you bastards are leaving this place alive!" she hissed and opened her gaping jaw, drawing up the struggling Uchiha to her waiting fangs. The man struggled fearfully, swearing and straining as much as he could to avoid his fate his crimson eyes filled with a visceral, human fear.

Bolting across the room, Kakashi stabbed his blade into the snake-shifter's belly and Anko let out a bloodcurdling scream and forcing her to release the Uchiha, throwing him in Kakashi's direction. Obito hit the wall bodily behind him with a heavy thud, limbs askew and throbbing and there he sat lifeless and unmoving.

"You're going to pay for that, Captain ," the serpent hissed darkly and in an instant, Kakashi dodged as her form went flying towards him, maw open to strike once more.

* * *

Pakkun was sniffing his way through the tunnels and stopped in his tracks, his tail falling and body going rigid. "Oh no…"

"What is it, Pakkun?" Rin asked softly, gripping the hilt of her arm-length blade, poised to fight.

"It's Anko, kid. If she catches the boss and finds out he's defecting, he'll have a pretty big problem on his hands," he said frowning, his face wrinkled prominently in concentration. In light of the new scent he had picked up, he was much more determined and tense as he strained to find his owner as quick as possible. It was by far easier when Kakashi recalled him, as he could be there in an instant, but now they were relying only on the familiar's sense of smell and the pull of their bond.

Anko wasn't a bad person and she neither disliked or hated Kakashi, because that'd be further from the truth than you know. No, the snake-shifter liked to tease and banter with him often, even though he was her superior, but a lot of the soldiers did. Kakashi was famous for being uncaring about insults and tossing effortlessly, sassy comebacks in return. That and both his battle prowess and skill made him a fantastic captain and boss, but that wasn't why Anko would be so problematic.

She was an orphan that had been taken in by the village and taught how to harness her magic - just like Kakashi had been - but she was also one of the only two snake-shifters in the village. The only other of her kind that inhabited the village was a man named Orochimaru, who she grew very close to in their likeness. He became somewhat of a father figure to her, until he was discovered taking up inhumane experiments to gather up a particular kind of research into the occult in pursuit of one of the legends of old. After he was found out, the snake-shifter fled and left a young, heartbroken Anko behind to fend for herself once more. She was never the same afterwards, but became one of the most loyal soldiers to the Empress, swearing to end the lives of anyone who turned their back on the village. That, among other things, made her both reliable and one of the most deadly of Kakashi's subordinates.

Rin felt for her, she really did, but she couldn't turn her back on her beloved's plight. He was hers look after and the only man she cared for. There was no way she'd allow someone to hurt him or gods forbid, kill him if she could help it.

"Then we don't have any time to waste. We need to catch up to him before Anko does!" she decreed, her face hardened in determination.

As they got closer, they began to see gore and corpses strewn throughout the hallways in various states. Occasionally there was a stray blood-splatter painting the bare walls in iron red. Then they passed a pile of tracking-enhanced prisoner's clothes beside an open cell, its only inhabitant an ANBU that had met an unwelcome demise, confirming what the man before had told her, pushing her onward. Just keep going, Rin , she told herself. Kakashi needs you!

* * *

Obito watched from the ground as Hatake leaped around, dodging and slashing at the snake-shifter. He could tell by watching him that the man was quickly becoming more exhausted by that point and that he wouldn't last much longer. His tells were easy to spot, as he had observed when fighting the wolf-shifter himself. The Uchiha considered running, but where would he go? He could barely move and not to mention he'd never make it to the outside on his own without access to his magic.

He tried to lever himself upright once again, but his back protested after his rough collision with the wall and he fell back to the floor, vulnerable and above all useless. The Uchiha was stuck where he was at the mercy of two beasts, barring their teeth at one another in a dangerous dance of blades and fangs.

The wolf-shifter slashed at the snake's face, making her snarl with rage. "I'll kill you for that, you bastard," she growled, following the quick silver-haired soldier with her acrid yellow eyes. He was toying with her, trying to injure her, but not kill her. What the hell was that stupid dog doing? They weren't going to escape if he decided to take mercy on his allies, especially since she was actively trying to kill them!

That's when he saw it.

It was tiny and trailing in the wolf-shifter's shadow, slithering across the stone. The creature had an alien, leaf-shaped head and a thin green body. A snake, and it was headed for the other man's leg. The Uchiha's ruby-red eyes widened in realization as he observed it's underhanded crawl to his jailer's oblivious form.

"Hatake, haul your ass out of the way!" Obito shouted at him to get his attention, but it was too late. Before the man could act he froze in place with an agonized cry as the aspish create pierced cloth and flesh with its attack, burrowing its fangs into the flesh of the man's thigh before beginning to whip and thrash violently to administer as much venom as possible.

The enormous snake-shifter bellowed with heinous laughter and the Uchiha couldn't help but snarl in disgust. He hated Hatake just as much as this woman seemed to, but not quite enough to kill his only escape from that place. His scarred lip pulled back as he barred and gritted his teeth in anger. Damn it! He was completely useless here and now he was never going to accomplish his dreams because unless something happened soon he'd die here either smeared against the stone or in the belly of that she-snake. The Uchiha teared up and slammed his fist on the floor. He wasn't a quitter, he just needed to get up, to either fight or run. Hot, angry tears began streaming down one of his cheeks as his grit his teeth, watching the snake hover closer to him and Hatake.

That's when without warning, a tiny canine and a woman in a brown cloak ran past him, the woman taking out a scalpel from her side-lying bag and throwing it with precision at the serpent's open mouth, embedding it in her flesh and making her scream before she could grip the wolf-shifter in her jaws.

"You tiny bitch ... I figured you'd show up. Wherever the captain is, your pathetic ass is sure to follow," the serpent hissed, the scalpel moving as she spoke, her eyes narrowing as she slithered back a few paces and narrowed her ugly yellow eyes at her. The tip of her long tail snaked up to the wound and removed the blade, tossing it back past the woman in brown, the weapon bouncing off the floor and skittering to a stop.

"As usual, I couldn't let Kakashi have all the fun," she quipped smugly, ignoring the other woman's insult. Obito couldn't see her expression with her back turned to him, but he couldn't hear anything that suggested a sense of fear or terror in her. The woman glanced to the silver-haired warrior while the serpent was busy backing away slowly, its eyes not leaving the short woman and her even smaller dog. Something about her, however, did seem to incite fear in the snake which left the Uchiha found her mesmerized. The woman had to be powerful to do something like that when the serpent hadn't batted an eyelash at the captain.

"Are you alright?" she asked the man, looking troubled, her hand finding the grip of her own weapon.

Hatake grunted and decapitated the snake before slowly yanking off its head and hissing painfully, he put it in a pouch for later. "I'm fine. Didn't expect you to come to find me, Rin," he said in breathless answer.

So that was her name, Rin . Obito could just see the side of her face, taking in every detail he could. She had thin, pale lips, stretched in a set, cool smile leading on to the lavender mark of a prestigious clan crawling across her cheek. Perched in a carefully made bun was a suspended curtain of sleek, dark hair, but more noticeable and much more inspiring to the Uchiha were her large doe-like eyes, filled to the brim with hope and determination. She was beautiful. No, more than that. She was perfect. He'd never seen anything so close to perfection in years traveling throughout the Five Nations and beyond. This Rin, well, she took his breath away.

She grinned sympathetically at him and nodded. "And leave you to fend for yourself? Not a chance," she chuckled warmly, making the silver-haired man huff in tired annoyance at her comment. The woman turned to look at the Uchiha and Obito had to avert his eyes, much too humiliated at his current state to hold her gaze. "Go ahead and take him out of here then. Pakkun and I can handle her."

Hatake nodded in respectful appreciation and came over to the sprawled out Uchiha, grabbing him by the waist and pulling him to his feet, holding him uncomfortably, making him realize he was more injured than he had earlier assessed. He held in his usual retorts, not wanting to make trouble, least he make a worse first impression on Rin. Obediently, he let Kakashi lead him out of the tunnels, back to freedom.

Obito turned back just in time to see the tiny woman cracking her knuckles and glaring at the snake. "Ready to dance, Anko-kun ?" she asked boldly.

The serpent, who had although pulled back behind a wall chortled and focused on Rin, showing her rows of teeth in an unnatural, eerie smile. She didn't say anything more as the two clashed with fang and blade.


End file.
